Zoning committee postpones Rose‑Maxwell B2A rezoning and development plan after questions on trees, open space and massing

The Planning Commission's Zoning Committee on Sept. 4 voted unanimously to recommend postponement of a proposed B2A downtown‑frame zone and associated development plan for parcels at the corner of Rose Street and Maxwell Avenue.

Jeremy Young, planning staff, told the committee the applicant selected the downtown place type and proposed a high‑density residential development; the staff report listed an intended project of 322 residential units. Staff recommended postponement, citing outstanding items including tree preservation/retention details, streetscape work along Kalmia Avenue, and confirmation of sanitary sewer capacity.

At the subsequent development‑plan presentation, the applicant’s team — represented by Brandon Gross and CoreSpaces development staff including Olivia Paprick, Austin Pagnotta and architect Nate Castillo — described a single eight‑story structure wrapping a full block with integrated townhouse units at the ground level and an internal parking garage. The applicant told the committee the development concept would ultimately provide approximately 983 beds and that the team was targeting about 40–50% parking supply within and adjacent to the building. The development team emphasized that CoreSpaces is a long‑term owner‑operator and described design moves intended to break the massing into smaller perceived volumes (light wells, two‑story townhouse expressions at the frontage and a central open‑air courtyard).

Commissioners pressed the applicant and staff on several topics: whether significant trees on the parcels could be preserved, how Kalmia Avenue would be activated rather than presenting long blank walls, whether the B2A downtown zone’s 5% usable open‑space expectation sufficiently respects the surrounding historic and mostly lower‑rise Aylesford area (staff noted R‑4 typically requires 15% usable and 15% vegetated area), and how stormwater and sanitary sewer capacity will be addressed. Commissioner Mickler and others expressed concern about the perceived block‑long eight‑story massing and its effect on adjacent, lower‑rise neighborhoods.

The committee’s motion to postpone was made by Commissioner Molly Davis and seconded by Commissioner Jonathan Davis to allow the applicant to provide the requested studies and revised materials; the motion carried unanimously. Staff listed outstanding items to be supplied before the item returns: clear documentation of tree preservation efforts, an updated streetscape and activation plan for Kalmia, sanitary sewer capacity analyses, stormwater responses including a plan addressing known Maxwell Street stormwater concerns, consolidated platting for the parcels and final plan revisions to meet outstanding plan check items.

The applicant said it will revise the plans before resubmittal; the committee did not take final action on the zone change or development plan at this meeting.