The project originally was to include 101 condo-style apartments on 18.5 acres in the area of 2200 NW Washington Boulevard, but Redwood reduced its request to 95 units.
Nearby property owners, particularly from the Villas of Hamilton West, Hamilton West Estates, Washington Estates, the Arbor Springs subdivision and other residential developments, voiced concerns. Petitions containing 320 signatures against the project also had been submitted.
Butch Carter, representing the Villas of Hamilton West, told the commission that the project is rated at nine points in a county system for judging merit, and a minimum for approval is 18.
Planning commission members, noting the Plan Hamilton comprehensive plan established such standards for developments, agreed with that logic.
Commission member Matt Von Stein said, “They (Redwoods) still have a lot of things they need to meet, requirements. And the citizens have spoke.”
Commission member Lisa Sandlin said, “If we’re not going to follow the point system, then why do we have the point system to begin with?”
Nearby resident Steve Hickman said Redwood had described the residences in a variety of ways, including townhomes, condominium-style. But, “basically, these are apartments,” he said. “We have 320 signed petitions” against the development.
“These 320 people plus others have stood by the city in tough times,” said Hickman, who moved to the city in 1980. “The development is not fit for where it’s going, where they’re proposing the development. It’s not a good fit for Hamilton, or I should say the Plan of Hamilton.
“It sets a bad tone for the city. It’s gonna put a bad taste in people’s mouths that the city turned their back on the city people that’s over here in Hamilton West Estates, and the Villas of Hamilton West, and Washington Estates. This is basically their final homes. They don’t want to move. They’ve invested all their income ... to build a nice home. We don’t need apartments.”
Some also criticized the attractiveness of the apartments, saying from some angles, the development looked like long rows of garage doors.
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