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Residents urge delay, traffic study as council readies Chautauqua rezoning vote
Summary
Residents who live along South Chautauqua and in adjacent campus neighborhoods urged the council to postpone a rezoning/SPUD that would allow a 24-unit apartment-style project, citing traffic, parking, neighborhood character and safety; several speakers asked for a traffic study and stronger neighbor-developer negotiation before the item returns to council.
Multiple residents addressed the council during miscellaneous comments and public testimony to urge delay or additional review of a proposed rezoning and SPUD on South Chautauqua that will appear on an upcoming agenda.
Speakers from the Hoover–Chautauqua neighborhood described the area as a mix of family homes and student housing and said a proposed three-story, 24-unit structure would significantly increase traffic, noise, trash and loss of neighborhood character. Barbara O'Brien, who lives at 1124 Chautauqua, said: “I am very concerned about the impact of the traffic. If you've been on Chautauqua, you know that it is one of the main corridors.”
Other residents, including Maggie Kaufman and Joe Grabowski, said the building massing would be too close to property lines and that the proposal lacks adequate parking and buffering. Multiple speakers asked that council require a traffic study at key intersections (Hoover and Chautauqua) and called for more neighborhood negotiation with the developer before a Council vote.
Council members acknowledged the concerns and Councilor Grant said he was open to convening neighborhood meetings and working with the developer to find mitigations; he suggested postponement as possible to allow talks and added the council could seek design concessions that would reduce neighborhood impacts.
The transcript records widespread neighborhood opposition and requests for additional analysis; the rezoning item remains scheduled for future council consideration and council members indicated they will meet with neighbors and the developer ahead of that vote.
What’s next: the rezoning/SPUD for South Chautauqua will be taken up at a future council meeting; neighbors and council members plan outreach meetings and may request traffic analysis and design changes before the item returns.
