Council Rezones Property for Townhomes, Sparking Neighborhood Debate

The Stillwater City Council unanimously approved rezoning property at 320 S. Walnut Street from single-family to two-family residential in their Sept. 8 meeting, clearing the way for a three-unit townhome development despite opposition from neighboring residents.

The council voted 4-0 to approve both the map amendment rezoning the property and a specific use permit allowing townhomes in the two-family residential district. The decisions came after a public hearing where several neighbors expressed concerns about increased density, traffic and potential impacts on the existing neighborhood character.

The property, currently zoned as small lot single-family residential, will be rezoned to two-family residential to accommodate the proposed development. Developer James Murray, who has owned the lot for many years, plans to build three four-bedroom townhome units on the approximately 13,000-square-foot property.

"We've really worked diligently with city staff and it's been a two year project trying to get something to work here," Murray said during the public hearing. "We think we've addressed all the issues."

The project requires 12 parking spaces for the three units, which will be provided through nine on-site spaces on the western side of the property and six public parking spaces along Walnut Street that will encroach into the public right-of-way.

William Stockel, whose backyard is adjacent to the proposed development, voiced opposition to the project. He argued the lot doesn't meet minimum square footage requirements for townhomes, which typically require 15,000 or 20,000 square feet depending on the zoning classification.

"Really, if you look at the surrounding areas, there's really no RT zoning within that area," Stockel said. "I feel like it's out of place."

Stockel also expressed concerns about parking lot lighting and vehicle noise from the proposed development backing up to his property. He requested that if the project moves forward, the parking be relocated to the front of the property and an eight-foot opaque fence be installed for screening.

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City staff confirmed the project meets dimensional requirements for the two-family residential district, with a maximum building height of 35 feet and appropriate setbacks. The proposed elevation shows buildings just below the 35-foot height limit.

Other neighbors echoed similar concerns about traffic and the precedent the development might set for the area. Stephanie Coca, who lives in the nearby Westwood Overlay district, said traffic is already problematic on Walnut Street near the sorority house and parking lot.

"My concern is the traffic. It's horrible already there on Walnut, right by the sorority house in the parking lot," Coca said.

Mary Elizabeth Cordia, who lives next to similar townhomes on Walnut Street, described her experience as "a real inconvenience" and worried about the precedent of continuing to replace single-family homes with larger developments.

"It was a cute little neighborhood, then all of a sudden these giant townhomes start coming in," Cordia said.

Murray defended the project as consistent with recent development in the area, pointing to the Presley Executive Homes built south of the site on the west side of Walnut Street. He emphasized the project's proximity to the university and fraternity houses.

"We think it's a natural transition to the university where we have fraternities right there, close by," Murray said. "We think it's going to be really a nice addition to an older neighborhood."

Aaron Ferguson, representing Bancroft Design, noted the project team worked with city staff for several months to find the best solution. He said they initially proposed multifamily intermediate zoning but settled on two-family residential as a better transition from higher-density uses across the street to the Westwood overlay district.

The Planning Commission had previously recommended approval of both the rezoning and specific use permit, with the rezoning receiving a 4-0 vote and the specific use permit approved 3-1 with a condition for six-foot opaque screening on the west side.

Mayor Will Joyce acknowledged the difficulty of balancing competing interests in a growing college town while addressing the need for more housing within existing city limits rather than on the outskirts.

"There is a concern and from my standpoint, a need to find ways to do responsible redevelopment of some of these areas like this in a way that again, both preserves existing neighborhoods to the extent we can and also recognizes that we need more housing in Stillwater," Joyce said.

Joyce explained that transitional zoning helps protect lower-density areas by creating a step-down effect rather than abrupt transitions from high-intensity to low-intensity uses.

The council approved the specific use permit with additional conditions beyond the Planning Commission's recommendation. Councilor Tim Hardin motioned to require an eight-foot solid fence on the western boundary instead of the recommended six-foot screening, and with a suggestion from Councilor Kevin Clark, added a condition requiring directional lighting in the rear parking lot to minimize impacts on the neighboring property to the west.

The project now moves forward to the building permit phase, where more detailed site plans will undergo planning staff review to ensure compliance with all city requirements.

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