South Whisman area zoned for residential South Whisman area zoned for residential (October 21, 2005)

Property owners protest ambitious 48-acre conversion plan

By Jon Wiener

A huge swath of declining industrial land in the South Whisman area appears set to become the site of new housing developments, after city council members spent an hour and forty minutes Tuesday discussing a master plan for six properties encompassing 48 acres on Ferguson Drive and Whisman Road.

The master plan is the most ambitious attempt yet by the council to convert vacant industrial land in select areas of the city to housing. But three of the six property owners did not want to participate, even though one, the owner of a 10-acre agricultural parcel, has asked the city about building housing there.

The Chamber of Commerce has also stated its opposition to the redevelopment, fearing that the encroachment of residents would drive out existing businesses.

General Dynamics has already announced its plans to leave its dilapidated buildings. WebEx, which operates a server farm 24 hours a day, is unlikely to stay long enough to meet all of its new neighbors.

"I think this is one of those tipping points," said council member Laura Macias before the meeting. "If we want to convert it entirely to residential, I think we're fooling ourselves if we don't think we'd be sending WebEx and Verisign" -- located on an adjacent site on Middlefield Road - "out of town."

Other council members have said they think the future of the land as an industrial site is bleak. Council member Greg Perry, who has served as Macias's foil during a year-long debate over such zoning conversions, said that the city already has an excess of industrial space, and that the two companies could move elsewhere in the city.

The debate about how to accommodate these conversion projects has often been contentious, drawing opposition from existing neighbors or nearby businesses.

Hundreds of Monta Loma residents have spoken out against the sale of HP's offices at the Mayfield Mall site to big developer Toll Brothers.

In August, the council re-zoned a 5.7-acre site at 300 Ferguson Drive over the objections of Whisman Station residents. Many of the residents had bought their townhouses with the understanding that residential development would be limited, and asked the council only to wait until a master plan could be reached.

Tuesday, council members emphasized the importance of good street design and abundant park space, and expressed interest in incorporating some retail services in the master plan.
Council delays study on historic buildings

In other business, the council delayed a discussion on how to proceed with a professional survey of historic buildings in the city, after a miscommunication with the State Office of Historic Preservation.

One of the last issues remaining from the bitter fight over a permanent historic preservation ordinance passed in August 2004, the survey would not trigger any types of requirements or restrictions for the property owners on the list, according to the staff report.

Of the 93 properties originally on the city's historic register, and consequently subject to two-year ban on major renovations, 34 have voluntarily remained on the list to take advantage of tax benefits offered by the city.

E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com

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