Commission approves rezoning of 713 Vantries Road to allow second dwelling; neighbors oppose broader overlay changes

The Planning Commission approved rezoning of 713 Vantries (Vantries/Vantage in the record) Road from RS‑20 to R‑20 after staff recommended the change and the applicant said a detached cottage already exists on the property. Several neighbors spoke in opposition and submitted a petition opposed to broader rezoning in the Blair Heights neighborhood.

Planning staff presented the item as a request to rezone a roughly 0.97‑acre parcel to allow 1‑ and 2‑family residential uses. Staff said the site is within a T3 Suburban Neighborhood Maintenance (T3 NM) policy area, which focuses on preserving residential character while allowing limited growth; staff found R‑20 compatible given nearby 2‑family uses and the site’s proximity to higher‑intensity policy areas and collector streets.

Applicant Thomas Goss told commissioners that a small detached cottage (about 500 square feet) already exists on the lot and that his intent is to register the structure as a dwelling so it can be used by family members or as a rental; he said he has no plans to build “tall skinnies” or large new houses.

Several neighbors, including Russell Clark and Wendy Allen, spoke in opposition. Allen said she submitted a petition with “over a hundred signatures” opposing the rezoning and asked the commission to note that opponents object both to this individual rezoning and to any broader rezoning that would allow detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU) overlays across the neighborhood. Opponents expressed concern that rezoning would encourage future splits, taller houses and increased density inconsistent with the neighborhood’s single‑family character.

Council liaison Councilor Eganbel (spelling per record) told the commission she had supported the applicant because the cottage already exists and because the council is separately considering DADU overlay policy; she said she would have advised the applicant to wait if the structure had not already been built, but that the council is examining broader zoning reform for housing.

Commissioners weighed neighborhood concerns alongside the existing on‑site structure and the broader policy work described by the council liaison. The commission approved the rezoning and adopted staff’s recommendation to approve R‑20 for this parcel. The motion carried; the transcript does not list a formal roll‑call tally.

The record notes that approval of a zoning change allows the uses permitted under the new district and does not itself expand any neighborhood‑wide overlays; residents and council members may pursue separate plan or code amendments for broader changes.