Two requests for conditional use permits to develop twinhome projects received the Austin Planning Commission’s approval Tuesday night.

Wednesday, May 16, 2001

Two requests for conditional use permits to develop twinhome projects received the Austin Planning Commission’s approval Tuesday night.

However, one of the projects attracted the attention of a residential property owner who questioned the proliferation of twinhome projects in the city and Commission Chairman Brian Johnson said he shared the resident’s concerns.

Paul Sween, an Austin attorney, and other Orchard Creek Properties’ developers received the commission’s approval of their permit request to develop lots immediately north of 16th Avenue SW along 28th Street SW into 28 twinhomes.

Fueled by the success of twinhome construction around a pond in the residential subdivision, Sween told commission members: "We feel there is a real demand for the twinhome concept."

According to City Planner Craig Hoium, the petitioner has three design plans and three site plans for the twinhomes.

Sween said the twinhomes being built around the man-made pond in the residential subdivision range in price from $187,000 to $210,000 and the new units would range in price from $140,000 to $157,000 and in size from 1,350 to 1,450 square feet on lots more than 200 feet deep.

"Maybe, they are a little bigger than other twinhome lots, but we believe in Austin, Minn., a yard means something."

Two of the 28 twinhomes will be built immediately this summer and the rest on demand.

According to Sween, 53 homes have been constructed north of the proposed twinhome projects along 28th Street SW since a group of investors bought 80 acres and developed the farmland into residential housing.

One outlot was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Bill DeVries. Bill DeVries objected to stormwater runoff being allowed to accumulate on his property from Orchard Creek Properties.

To date, there are 29 completed homes in the Orchard Creek Properties subdivision.

Put a minimum price tag of $150,000 on 28 new twinhomes and the result is an estimated $4.2 million in new twinhome housing coming to the area.

Lois McConnell made the motion to recommend approval and Janet Anderson seconded it before the unanimous vote.

Johnson reminded the petitioners that there is a 15-day period to hear appeals of the commission’s decision before it becomes final.

According to Hoium, conditions include a developer’s agreement similar to other home building projects.

Second twinhome request

On a smaller scale Tuesday night, Todd Martin of 1403 17th Drive SW received the commission’s approval of his conditional use permit request to build two twinhomes (four units) on undeveloped residential property along 17th Street SW in the Buxton Subdivision.

The site is just off 16th Avenue SW and near the South Pointe twinhomes and others.

According to Martin, his twinhomes will be 1,200 to 1,300 square feet in size with basements, vinyl siding and minimum landscaping. He estimated their prices at $135,000 to $140,000.

Lisa Baudler, a resident in the area, addressed the commission members.

"The twinhome thing is kind of invading our area," she said.

Baudler said she and other single-family residents in the immediate area "prefer single-family houses be developed like we have."

Johnson said Baudler’s concerns were "relevant."

Baudler did not oppose Martin’s request, but merely offered testimony to her concerns about the proliferation of the housing concept and how it can clash with pre-existing single-family residences.

Sue Grove made the motion to approve Martin’s permit request. Anderson seconded it and it was unanimously approved.

Martin said he hopes to begin construction in July and must also satisfy conditions similar to those placed on the Sween-Orchard Creek Properties permit.

OK variances, rezoning

In other action Tuesday night, the Planning Commission:

n Unanimously recommended approval of twin variance requests from David O. Miller, 1008 Sixth Ave. NE, for a 3-foot variance from the minimum side yard setback of 5 feet and an 8 percent variance from the maximum lot coverage of 40 percent in an R-1 single-family district. Miller plans to remove an existing shed and demolish a car port and build an attached garage to his home. The Austin City Council will consider the commission’s recommendation of approval at a public hearing Monday night.

n Approved a rezoning request from Ronald J. and Lori A. Wieseler, 100 22nd St. SW. The request calls for a rezoning from R-2 multifamily residential to a B-2 community business district. The Wieselers own Pine Manor apartments and want to open a used car lot on a portion of their property. Surrounded by the Pine Manor apartments to the south and Mel Saxton’s Austin Ford, Lincoln, Mercury dealership to the west, no other community business development would be allowed east of 25th Street SW, where vacant lots exist for residential development. According to Hoium, letters of notice of the hearing were sent to applicable property owners within 350 feet of the proposed used car lot and there were no responses. The Austin City Council will consider the commission’s recommendation for approval Monday night.

Call Lee Bonorden at 434-2232 or e-mail him at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com.