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Commission denies rezoning request for townhomes at 3380 Bachelor Street, citing neighborhood character and narrow streets
Summary
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted to deny a rezoning and variance request that would have allowed a four‑unit townhouse development at 3380 Bachelor Street, concluding the proposal was incompatible with the traditional‑neighborhood land‑use designation and would set an undesirable precedent.
The commission voted to deny a rezoning request to convert a R‑1A (urban residential) parcel at 3380 Bachelor Street to RT (residential townhome) and to grant a variance reducing the minimum lot area from 3,000 to 2,148 square feet.
Applicant Timothy Helms of Fuse Design Studio presented a plan for two paired buildings (four townhome units total) with on‑site parking and enhanced streetscape and landscape treatments. Helms described plans to provide two garage parking spaces and visitor parking per unit and to incorporate brick facades and craftsman‑style elements to mesh with nearby houses.
Director Smith recommended denial, saying the proposed RT zoning and lot‑size variance do not conform to the comprehensive plan’s Traditional Neighborhood designation, which prioritizes preservation of historic single‑family fabric and pedestrian‑scale design. Smith noted the parcel is approximately 0.1974 acres and highlighted compatibility concerns with neighboring one‑and‑a‑half to two‑story single‑family homes.
Multiple neighbors from the Egan Park area opposed the rezoning at the public hearing. Tom Wardlow (1301 Mercer Avenue) said the proposal would be “out of the character of Egan Park” and urged that new units be owner‑occupied rather than short‑term rentals. Eric Brooks (1311 Mercer Avenue) and other speakers raised concerns about narrow streets and limited parking that they said would worsen if higher‑density townhomes were built.
Commissioners who spoke in the discussion cited narrow local streets, the potential for “spot zoning,” and the risk of creating a precedent for further infill that would alter neighborhood character. One commissioner said a rezoning to townhomes “would be taxing on the community” and allow future developers to introduce additional townhomes that could change the area’s residential fabric.
A motion to accept staff’s recommendation of denial carried. The commission’s denial is a final recommendation from the commission; the applicant was informed the next step would be consideration by City Council in May.
