Developers present mixed-density plan for former Quality Block site on College Avenue

Planning Director Bruce Lonnie said the 940 College Avenue proposal would rezone the former Quality Block industrial site to RM3 PD and bind a site plan that mixes small cottages, duplexes and walkups intended to fit the street scale along College Avenue.

"This is compatible with the 2023 comprehensive plan particularly as it redevelops an existing industrial site," Bruce said, highlighting recommended conditions including a fire-apparatus access plan to assure a minimum 13.5-foot vertical clearance under the north-side railroad trestle and a requirement to provide 50% planted canopy area as mitigation where canopy cannot be conserved.

Architect Brett Nave, the project's design lead, told the Commission the development emphasizes a variety of small building types and an amenity package intended to create a "village feel." "We have quite the mix here from little small single cottages to duplexes to small walkups" he said, and said roughly 62–63% of units would be one- and two-bedrooms.

Commissioners and staff focused on three implementation issues: engineering the trestle clearance so fire apparatus can access the site, tree-canopy mitigation and targeted lot-coverage flexibility tied to design standards. Staff said the planning commission recommended approval with conditions that require the trestle clearance and fire-apparatus access be resolved before permits and that lot coverage be limited to 70% under the proposed flexibility.