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Commission recommends rezoning, PUD for 1400 E. Hawthorne ahead of 114-unit proposal
Summary
The Planning Commission forwarded two linked requests for 1400 East Hawthorne—rezoning from M-3 to M-2 and a planned unit development designation—so the developer can pursue a 114-unit apartment project; staff recommended approval and neighbors asked about parking, access and sewer constraints.
On Feb. 11 the Kokomo City Planning Commission approved two linked items that will be presented to the Common Council: a rezoning request to change parcels at 1400 East Hawthorne from M-3 (large-scale multifamily) to M-2 (general multifamily) and a separate request to reclassify part of the site as a Planned Unit Development (PUD).
Applicant Justin Gooden, representing Gooden Rebar Kokomo LLC, told the commission the project concept has previously been considered and that the current proposal would be less dense than a prior plan. He told commissioners the proposed development across the three lots would include 114 units. Staff described the parcels as located in a general-commercial future land-use designation and called the requested zoning compatible with neighboring zones. Staff reported a traffic count of 9,964 cars per day on East Hawthorne.
Public commenters asked about parking, access, and utilities. Ray Harrison asked how parking maneuvers would function and whether cars would enter and exit on both streets; staff said site-plan details on driveway locations and circulation will be handled later (rezoning/PUD occurs before site-plan approval). Ronald Foster, an adjoining property owner, asked about alleys, whether Wheeler Street or alleys would be opened for access (staff said no) and raised concerns about a sewer manhole adjacent to the property; staff said no structures will be placed over the manhole and that the parcel setbacks place the building toward the street side.
Commissioners also discussed unit mix; the developer said the building would contain roughly 70 one-bedroom units with the balance two-bedroom units. Commissioners clarified that the PUD would allow certain site-specific standards to be set at the site-plan stage—parking for PUD projects may change from a standard two spaces per unit to 1.5 spaces per unit under the PUD’s provisions.
Both the rezoning (case PO2Z25) and the PUD request (case PO3Z25) passed the commission and will be presented to the Common Council by Councilman Greg.
