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The Dalles resident urges review of Basalt Commons variance, citing parking and unit mix concerns
Summary
A local property owner told the Planning Commission Dec. 5 that recent land‑use approvals for the Basalt Commons project may have reduced two‑bedroom units and lowered parking counts; staff disputed parts of his characterization and invited follow‑up with supporting documents.
Chuck Gomez, owner of the Granada Theater, told the The Dalles Planning Commission on Dec. 5 that while he supports the Basalt Commons development, he urged the commission and city council to reconsider a recently advanced variance because, he said, it would replace two‑bedroom apartments with more one‑bedroom and studio units, enlarge the building footprint and reduce required parking.
"I am 110% for the project," Gomez said during public comment, "but I do have grave concerns with the passing of the variance for changing certain aspects of that project." He cited parking‑study figures he said showed downtown has about 900 spaces and that many spaces turn over about 5.66 times a day, and he suggested a brief moratorium to review the variance and parking assumptions before further approvals.
Joshua Chandler, planning staff, responded that some of the numbers Gomez cited appeared "a little misconstrued," said staff had worked substantially on parking studies, and clarified that "this was not a variance that was approved" and that there was never consideration to decrease parking or to remove two‑bedroom units from the project. Chandler invited Gomez to bring additional documentation to the planning office so staff could review it.
Gomez also criticized an increase in the project's maximum height and said that, in his view, the variance reduced on‑site parking despite a larger building footprint. Chandler told the commission the land‑use approval for Basalt Commons was one step in a multi‑stage process and that parking and other technical materials are part of staff review.
The public comment did not result in a motion or formal action; staff recorded the exchange and offered a follow‑up meeting to review the numbers Gomez referenced. The applicant and city council will be involved in subsequent land‑use and permitting stages for the Basalt Commons project.
