Politics & Government

Planning Board Approves Franklin Place Ordinance

Developer's representative voices concerns over some elements of ordinance.

The Planning Board unanimously approved the Franklin Place ordinance Monday night.

The ordinance deals primarily with the redevelopment of the Infiniti Dealership site on Franklin Place, a lot that has been vacant for some time.

Joe Steinberg, an attorney with Lowenstein Sandler Attorneys at Law representing the property owner, said he felt the ordinance still needed more work before being voted on but did say it has come a long way from where it began.

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"I wish I could stand here tonight and say I think we're at the end of the road," he said. "But I think we've moved down the road."

Steinberg said he really liked the suggestion from the board to only have one entrance/exit in and out of the project and that the architect, Peter Biber, would be adjusting the plans to reflect that change. However, his other concerns included wording that seemed to indicate the entire property needed to be landscaped and the inclusion of a requirement to have a series of front doors facing Franklin Place to help the project blend in with the existing neighborhood.

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Steinberg said his client's plans have always included a courtyard style layout where the entrances to each unit would be off a central courtyard in the middle of the complex, therefore there wouldn't be front doors facing Franklin Place.

Biber, Steinberg said, proposed designing what would appear to be front doors facing Franklin Place.

City Planner Eileen Banyra said as long as they are operable doors, it doesn't matter if they are actually used as the main entrances to the units.

As for Steinberg's concern about the landscaping requirement, Chair Jeff Wagenbach had the word "fully" removed from the phrase "fully landscaped" despite his feeling that it was clear that did not indicate the entire property needed to be landscaped.

Steinberg also raised issue with language in the ordinance seeming to require bike racks and the fact that the ordinance only rezones one side of the street, not both.

But before the vote, Wagenbach expressed his frustration with the property owner throughout this process.

"I'm disturbed at the property owner's conduct on this spot and various iterations of this ordnance," he said, saying throughout the entire process the scope of the ordinance has never changed.

He also said he gives no credence to comments Steinberg made that his client began pursuing developing a high end residential project when the automobile industry went south, but now that it is picking up again hinted the owner could consider going back to the original use.

"I don't think we can make this owner happy," Wagenbach said.

The board plans to have the ordinance ready for introduction to the Common Council at its May 18 regular meeting.

 


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