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Planning staff reports progress and concerns on Parole Place, Rocky Gorge, Griskum Square and other projects
Summary
Senior planner Mike Meakans updated the committee on major planning projects: Griskum Square is under construction, Parole Place received a minor modification adding an extra floor and parking deck capacity, Parkside Preserve residents raised parking and private-street issues, Rocky Gorge’s approved plan is currently dormant and would require reapproval for redevelopment, and 15 Ridgely Avenue awaits building permits.
Mike Meakans, senior planner in current planning, briefed the Environmental Matters Committee on several projects moving through planning and permit review.
Griskum Square: Meakans said the 12-unit residential development has pulled permits and is actively installing storm drain improvements at Tyler Avenue and Bay Ridge; early utility and grading work is underway.
Parkside Preserve: Committee members raised substantial resident complaints about guest parking and whether the private-street signage and enforcement had generated improper ticketing. Staff recounted past approvals and said design solutions — such as one-way conversions or working with the developer to provide guest parking — are under consideration but constrained until private streets are dedicated to the city.
Parole Place: Meakans said the director approved a minor modification that adds an additional floor to the central mixed-use building and a floor to the structured parking deck; the additional floor is pushed back from the façade and no public comments were received on the modification to date.
Rocky Gorge (Athens): Meakans described the planned development as currently abandoned with existing recorded plats and rough grading in place; a new developer would need to resubmit for approvals and may reconfigure lots and access, but some dry utilities and partial grading reflect the original design.
15 Ridgely Avenue and Thomas Somerville property: 15 Ridgely’s site plan was approved March 12 and the city awaits building and grading permit submissions; the Somerville property straddles the county line and staff reported second-round minor site design review comments are nearly cleared, with posting anticipated in the next one to two weeks.
Meakans said he will provide a project tracking sheet with status updates and can add a separate “on-radar” section for items currently at the work-session stage so the committee can track them earlier in the process.
