NEWS

After resident pushback, zone change proceeds to full council

By EMMA BARTLETT
Posted 11/22/22

Norman Avenue resident David Wilburn doesn’t think the proposed construction of 18 multi-family housing units in a former Pontiac Avenue office space is a good idea. From his perspective, the …

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NEWS

After resident pushback, zone change proceeds to full council

Posted

Norman Avenue resident David Wilburn doesn’t think the proposed construction of 18 multi-family housing units in a former Pontiac Avenue office space is a good idea. From his perspective, the neighborhood will see an increase in traffic and the plan does not offer enough green space on the property for future residents to enjoy. Nearby homeowners agree.

Wilburn was one of five people who spoke against the development at the city’s Planning Commission and Ordinance Committee meetings last week. While the proposed zone change and masterplan passed the Planning Commission in two (6-2) votes on Nov. 15, two days later ordinance committee members unanimously sent the zone change request to the Nov. 28 full City Council meeting where the proposal will be reviewed further.

The project’s developer is the Providence-based Omni Group. The company proposes the construction of 18 multi-family housing units in a 28,020 square foot office facility at 747 Pontiac Ave. Three of the apartments would be affordable housing units, and the building would have on-site laundry, building security, modern interior finishes and appliances and 37 parking spaces.

Conversion of the three-story office building into residential units, requires a zone change from A-6 (single-family residential) to C-2 (commercial zone with conditions) to allow the increase in residential density.

Bill DiStefano, President and CEO of The Omni Group, previously owned this building and sold it to a friend 21 years ago after cleaning it up. The friend struggled to keep the building full and, during the pandemic, let DiStefano know he planned to sell it. DiStefano told commissioners and council members that he always liked the building and, therefore, repurchased it.

“I think it’s a great building,” DiStefano told council members at Thursday’s Ordinance Committee meeting. “Its best use is residential.”

He said the property is in a nice neighborhood and the building already looks like an apartment building; he added that there is a great demand for apartments.

“We can’t build apartments fast enough, but offices – a lot of vacancies,” DiStefano said.

According to DiStefano, filling commercial space has been a struggle and the pandemic led to further decrease in demand. When his friend sold him the building, only three of the 22 office spaces were in use.

DiStefano and Mick Hogan, vice president of business development and leasing, answered questions at both meetings about rent costs and who’d be renting the space.

The company shared that they require criminal and credit background checks for all applicants. When asked if they would accept someone with a criminal background, Hogan said that would be up to the company’s discretion, however, they have not run into this problem before.

As for rent prices, the costs would be closely in line with market rates – which are falling around $1,300 and $1,400 a month. Affordable housing costs would mirror HUD guidelines.

Residents spoke to both sides on the project.

Wilburn, who has lived across from the complex for three decades, believes traffic will increase because the office building never had a full parking lot.

“The neighborhood is not suited for that type of density,” said Wilburn.

Wilburn added that the property was subdivided earlier in the year. DiStefano sold the smaller parcel to himself with the intent of build a single family home – DiStefano said this was to help cover the costs of adding three affordable housing units.

Wilburn believes that, instead of subdividing the property, the extra space should have been developed into green space for residents to enjoy; the green space would also create a buffer to the neighboring residences.

“Every home has a little yard or something to make it a home. Not four walls and a bed – that doesn’t make a home,” Wilburn said.

Philmont Avenue resident Patrick Woods agreed.

Davis Avenue resident Mary Curtin favored the zone change and how the project could help address the current housing crisis.

“We all are aware of the housing crisis that’s going on in Rhode Island right now,” said Curtin. “Access to housing is a critical issue; we want our community to thrive.”

Focusing on the neighborhood

While the majority planning commissioners approved the zone change and masterplan on Nov. 15, commission members Steve Frias and Kathleen Lanphear were in the minority of those who opposed the plan.

“From the get-go, I had a hard time figuring out what to do about your application,” Frias told DiStefano and Hogan.

He pointed out that one of the comprehensive plan’s requirements is to protect and stabilize existing neighborhoods based on neighborhoods’ needs and quality of life.

After walking the neighborhood and looking at land parcels in a 400 foot radius, Frias said roughly 90 percent of the homes are single family zoned and five parcels were double decker houses. He did not believe the apartment complex belonged in the neighborhood because the rest of the neighborhood is almost exclusively all single family residential.

Approving the project would mean setting a precedent and could create a problem where more apartment buildings pop up in the area. He added that when individuals buy a certain property, they expect a certain neighborhood.

“Reliance is an important part of property rates and property value,” said Frias.

While the current building was grandfathered in and was able to be used as a commercial space with an A6 zoning, Frias said from his research the homes in the area were built in the 1920s through the 1960s and the variance was granted after those homes were built.

When Frias asked how the Omni Group’s project would enhance the quality of life for the existing neighborhoods, DiStefano said the project would not change the fabric of the neighborhood. He added that the complex would fit the area because there are already apartments near the single family homes in the area.

The city’s Principal Planner Doug McLean found the project compatible with the neighborhood because the company is working within the building’s existing shell. McLean added that the new building would offer some visual appeal since The Omni Group has the intention of enhancing the property’s landscape.

Frias believes the company bought the property during the pandemic with the intention of changing into an apartment complex even though the commercial market had already dropped.

Planning Director Jason Pezzullo said the city’s comprehensive plan allows neighborhood commercial zoning in the area of Pontiac Avenue and, when proposals come before the planning department, the staff relies on what the comprehensive plan says. Since neighborhood commercial zoning allows C1, C2 and C3 zoning, Pezullo said multi-family zoning is allowed by right in the area.

Commissioner Robert Coupe inquired about snow removal followed by DiStefano stating that the company would put snow in the corners of the property, grass area and near the dumpster. If there was a big storm, they would truck the snow away.

While multi-family housing is a different type of housing for the area, Coupe didn’t see it as “that much worse than a commercial building.”

“You could make the argument that having a commercial building in an area that’s almost exclusively used for A6 zoning is not beneficial to neighborhood needs,” said Coupe.

Need for housing

On Thursday night, the need for housing was on council members’ minds.

“We have a housing crisis in the state, we have an affordable housing shortage in the city,” said Councilman Robert Ferri. “It’s residential. Let’s face it, no one rents office space today. So you have a building that’s empty that they want to spend a lot of money on and fix up to put people into apartments that they can hopefully afford and they have a lot of experience doing this.”

Councilman John Donegan said the project is a no-brainer.

“It’s not going to change the physical area or footprint of the building itself. They are helping to reach our city’s affordable housing ambitions,” said Donegan. “It’s sustainable; it’s on a RIPTA line which also helps hopefully reduce traffic.”

Council members expressed that they wished there was at least one more affordable housing unit and hope the developers work with the neighbors since there are those who are upset about the project.

Councilman Matthew Reilly said he was torn about what to do. While he has seen the developers’ work and thinks they do a wonderful job, the only problem is that 90 percent of the homes in the area are single family units. He had similar concerns as Frias.

Councilwoman Nicole Renzulli asked why there wasn’t a traffic study provided with the project, and McLean said projects do not require a study if the change in use will reduce traffic. He said residential buildings create less traffic. Renzulli said neighbors saw it differently because people could be coming in at different times.

The zone change will go before the full City Council on Nov. 28. If The Omni Group does not receive approval, the company would continue using the building as office space. If the project passes, it will go before the Development Plan Review.

Pontiac, zones

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