Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Affordable Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council delays vote on Full Circle’s Pearl Street Commons expansion amid parking, masonry and future-use concerns
Summary
Full Circle Communities presented a 10-unit expansion to its Pearl Street Commons supportive housing project; councilors, residents, and service providers debated parking reductions, masonry exceptions, and binding conditions. Council tabled the item for two weeks to negotiate conditions tying use to the nonprofit owner and to address parking and design issues.
Full Circle Communities returned to the Mckenry City Council on April 6 seeking approval for Phase 2 of Pearl Street Commons, a 10-unit construction that would increase the site from 25 to about 35 units at 3512 Pearl Street. Jordan Bartle, representing Full Circle, described the project as affordable supportive housing for veterans and people with disabilities and said the nonprofit would own and manage the property long term.
Key points in the presentation included a site plan showing complementary building placement, a planned pedestrian walkway and patio amenities, and a parking plan that keeps a total of 37 parking spaces on site while proposing five additional "land-bank" spaces for future construction. Full Circle and partners (AID and Veterans Path to Hope) emphasized service partnerships and a minimum affordability commitment of 30 years tied to funding.
Several council members raised pointed objections. Under current ordinance standards the project would require about 53 parking spaces; staff and council questioned whether the proposed 37 spaces — plus a five-space land bank — would meet future needs if the property were ever converted from supportive housing to market-rate apartments. Members also flagged a masonry requirement — the RM2 code calls for 75% masonry; the project proposes about 35.7% — and asked whether design and streetscape impacts would be acceptable on the major street frontage.
Residents and service providers spoke in favor. Lori Baker, president and CEO of the Association for Individual Development (AID), said the target population cannot afford market rents and praised the partnership model that delivers onsite supportive services. A resident who lives at Pearl Street Commons described personal benefits from services and urged approval.
Council and staff discussed several conditional fixes: limit approval to Full Circle as the property owner/operator; require the developer to meet parking thresholds if the use changes; and tighten land-bank or design exceptions. After withdrawing the initial motions, the council voted to table the item for two weeks so staff and the applicant can return with clarified conditions and revised materials.
