Neighbors want Mayfield plan stopped before it's too late Neighbors want Mayfield plan stopped before it's too late (November 26, 2004)

Rezoning hearing under consideration

By Jon Wiener

Monta Loma residents who have for months demanded a public hearing on whether the city should allow housing at Mayfield Mall may get their wish after all.

The 27-acre site at Central Expressway and San Antonio Road is currently zoned for commercial use, but housing developer Toll Brothers wants it changed to residential to accommodate a 631-unit project.

Many Monta Loma residents, who live near the site, want it to remain commercial and have asked the city to hold a rezoning hearing on the issue before proceeding with the project.

Zoning Administrator Whitney McNair said that holding the rezoning hearing first would extend the project timeline by six months. If the council declines to hold the hearing, it will vote on the rezoning at the same time the project comes up for approval, expected to be in early 2006.

Monta Loma residents want the rezoning hearing scheduled first. Without considering the zoning first, they are afraid that the city council will be under pressure to approve the project or else risk being labeled "anti-development" as the process grows in money and time spent.

As Toll Brothers' investment continues to increase, neighbors fear pressure will build on the city council to approve the project. Jim Meek, regional vice president of Toll Brothers, estimated his company will spend between $500,000 and $1 million on the application process alone.

The process "makes people think the city is in bed with Toll Brothers," said Monta Loma resident Jeremy Siegel. He spoke to the environmental planning commission Nov. 17 on behalf of a group of neighbors.

Nearly 200 residents packed the multipurpose room at Monta Loma Elementary School for last week's meeting. A long line of speakers and piles of comment cards from audience members reiterated their call for a rezoning hearing.

The commission is scheduled to decide Dec. 1 on its recommendations to the city council about the project. Issues up for consideration include the rezoning hearing, whether to conduct a study of the project's financial impacts on the city, and alternative developments to be investigated during the environmental impact review.

Chair Paul Lesti said that the overwhelming amount of public input -- over 200 questions submitted by the audience had yet to be addressed when the meeting ended at 10 p.m. -- could force the commission to put off the vote until a third meeting on Dec. 15. Both meetings will be held at City Hall.

The planning commission was the third public meeting this year designed to receive community input, and opposition to the project has become more popular and acrimonious at each successive one. Last week, residents leveled their usual criticisms at Toll Brothers and HP, which owns the site, and even went after city planner Lynnie Melena and recent council candidate Stephanie Schaaf.

Schaaf, who several think lost a November bid for a council seat in part because she publicly voiced support for the project, drew the ire of one speaker after raising her hand when he asked if anybody in the room supported the project. She was one of five people who did so, while nearly everyone else raised their hands to indicate their opposition.

Toll Brothers representatives tried to assuage fears that medium- or high-density housing would overwhelm the neighboring community of single-family homes.

"We're not in the business of pursuing applications for which there is no support from the public at all," said Meek.
@email:E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com

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