Presentation by Plunkett Raysich Architects re: Evansville Manor Proposal for Addition to current facility; Presented at Evansville Planning Commission on Tuesday, May 1, 2007.
Click on the audio for the presentation.
This agenda item was a last minute addition and listed on the agenda for discussion as well as motion for approval. This was modified at the opening of the meeting to be a discussion item only. This pattern of last minute additon to agendas and listing of motion to approve is similar to the recent soccer matter at the Evanville School board. Because this was corrected, the public will be able to weigh in on this proposal at the next planning commission meeting in June.
The proposal is for a commercial addition. The only problem is that it is in a zoned R1 area, and as noted by the Evansville Planner, Tim Schwecke, even if there was a conditional approval process, the site is not adequate for the proposed development.
As readers of the blog are well aware, Plunkett Raysich is a specialist in acquisition of land in cases where plans are too expansive for the current site. Consider the matter of the current intermediate school, where the site is deemed inadequate, and even though there are homes near that are for sale that could be acquired for fair value, Plunkett has eyes on a totally new site acquisiton elsewhere.
The Observer would like to see Plunkett use its special skills of site acquisition where it is truly appropriate----namely in the nursing home case.
The first question of a planning commission is not "When would you like to begin digging?" If that is the only question, then all residents in a R1 zoning beware.
If you were a regular citizen of Evansville and proposed a commercial development on your current R1 site, which was also inadequate even for conditional use, you would be told NO on the telephone and the discussion would be terminated. Make a note of it.
Listen to the audio yourslf. You decide. You make the call.
Other than the Observer, there was only one resident at this meeting. Citizens need to follow these matters and attend meetings that will affect them. Stay tuned.
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Observer, I suggest you take a look at the Interim Future Land Use Map and Future Land Use Map in the city's Smart Growth Plan. In both maps, the entire block on which the Manor is located is marked as either Institutional (the current Manor property) or Multi-Family Residential--there is no single-family residential marked on that block. This block was marked in this fashion on the future land use maps to allow for the possibility that the Manor eventually would acquire the entire block to enable multiple phases of expansion. Skilled nursing facilities, assisted living apartments, etc. are not commercial development--they are residential.
ReplyDeleteBill Connors
Former Evansville City Administrator
Bill:
ReplyDeleteI may stand corrected on that matter. The site inadequacy noted by the planner still was the major point--there are a total of 44 units planned. Is this the site for that level of addition or would a more adequate site be best? Plunkett is big on this. They love new sites.
Observer
If the current site is not large enough for the proposed development, I would think that both the Manor and the city would prefer for the Manor to enlarge the current site (by acquiring adjacent parcels on the same block, as anticipated in the Smart Growth Plan) than to split the new development from the existing skilled nursing facility or to relocate the skilled nursing facility to a larger site and vacate the existing facility. The folks who put the Smart Growth Plan together thought expansion of the Manor at its current location made the most sense.
ReplyDeleteBill Connors