Neighbors oppose Backus property apartment proposal as commission debates annexation and comp‑plan change

Tony DeRosa, representing Fiduciary Real Estate Development, presented 'Main Street Station', a plan for approximately 15 acres (the Backus/Bacchus property) that would include 240 apartment units in four buildings and 17 townhomes. DeRosa said the developer studied multiple iterations and concluded constraints such as high water table in the north, steep grade changes, and stormwater requirements influenced building placement and scale.

Multiple nearby homeowners spoke in opposition. Robert Kremz of 210 Monte Cristo Circle told commissioners he has lived on his lot 25 years and described increased light pollution and noise from nearby development; he urged the commission to reject four‑story elements and suggested a smaller (two‑ or three‑story) alternative. "I have an accepted offer for $950,000," Kremz said, adding concerns about property values and construction disturbance.

Kelly Side (308 Montecristo Circle) and Scott Side described process and notice concerns and urged the commission to postpone action or recommend denial of the comprehensive plan amendment, citing a December neighborhood meeting that residents said produced an offer from the developer to prepare alternative plans that were never provided. Several residents said visuals presented earlier underrepresented worst‑case views and buffering would not be effective for decades.

City staff reviewed the requests: annexation (the site is in an area covered by a city/town boundary agreement and the State Department of Administration found annexation in the public interest), rezoning to urban residential conditional upon annexation, a certified survey map splitting the parcel, right‑of‑way dedications for Blue Eyes Pass and Grassland Terrace, and stormwater management in a closed basin. Staff said proposed setbacks (95 feet along the southern property line) and additional evergreen shrub/tree plantings exceeded minimums and that the applicant had provided additional landscaping to mitigate impacts. The staff presentation also explained how height is measured from average grade; proposed apartment buildings range from about 43 to 46.25 feet measured this way.

Commissioners debated policy and process. Several (Alder Swanson, Commissioner Powers, Commissioner Taylor, Commissioner Wood) said they would support annexation and acknowledged the city's housing needs; others (Commissioner Henker and others) expressed skepticism that the proposal in its current form provides a reasonable transition to existing single‑family homes and said they want a reduced massing or more townhome‑style buffering. Commissioner Henker repeatedly asked what standard the commission should use to change the comprehensive plan and whether the economics could be altered to reduce building height facing neighbors.

Staff answered technical questions: the City’s stormwater management ordinance requires infiltration and runoff controls—particularly in closed basins—and staff said developers are required to match or better pre‑settlement infiltration. Staff also said annexation can be considered independently of other approvals and that the comprehensive plan update shows residential‑medium density in this area, which would allow the type of development proposed.

By the end of the transcript, commissioners had not recorded a final recommendation on the comprehensive plan amendment or conditional use permits; they proceeded to deliberate further and asked for additional information about transitions, stormwater and alternatives.