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14 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Mr. Rory Stolzenberg spoke in favor of the development. He said he believes <br />neighborhoods across the city need to share the burden of additional density with developments <br />of this type. <br /> <br />Having no further speakers, Ms. Walker closed the public hearing. <br />Mr. Blair advised Council that if they are comfortable having this on the next consent <br />agenda they can make that recommendation, otherwise if Council doesn't want this on the <br />consent agenda it would be on the agenda as a separate action item. <br /> Dr. Bellamy expressed a preference for a 60 percent AMI level on the affordable unit. <br /> <br />Ms. Galvin said she sees this situation as being part of a breakdown in the development <br />review process. She said the public is not privy to what is happening because a developer is <br />coming up with his own plan without engaging the community and following the Comprehensive Plan. Ms. Galvin said the City’s vision is out of sync with the zoning. <br /> <br />Mr. Signer said that the recent housing study indicated we need more supply. Housing is <br />scarce and that increases costs. He said it is hard to get projects like this underway because there <br />is a lag between the approval of a Comprehensive Plan and a new development coming forward. <br />Ms. Galvin noted that the nearby Riverbend Development project will add over 100 units to <br />the area. She said this is a tragic condition where this development was not planned, it is <br />reflective of the City's failure to do adequate long range planning. <br /> Mr. Signer encouraged the public to watch how the City invests its own affordable housing <br />funds. Most affordable housing will be built by private developers. <br /> <br />Dr. Bellamy shared what he thinks Ms. Galvin has made some good points about the lack <br />of alignment with the Comprehensive Plan and the need for long range planning. <br />Ms. Hill said she visited the site earlier in the day and she thinks there will be significant <br />traffic challenges. <br /> <br />Ms. Walker asked when the City will decide to plan long term? This is a project we say that is needed, that will provide housing, but that is largely not affordable. Why didn't we have <br />this conversation related to Riverbend Development's Belmont project? <br /> <br />Ms. Galvin said the Riverbend project is by-right and no one on the Council today was on <br />Council when the 2003 Comprehensive Plan was approved. She said if we allow the re-rezoning’s on a piecemeal basis we are constantly undermining the community's will. <br /> <br />Ms. Walker said the community will need to have discussions about how it wants to grow <br />in a more equitable way. <br />