By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
The second phase of the Fox Crossing apartments of Burlington was approved Tuesday night, but not without concerns voiced by two aldermen.
The amendment to expand the planned used development – from 24 to 32 units, which means adding a third floor – passed through the City Council by a vote 5-2. Aldermen Tom Preusker and Bob Grandi voted against the project and raised concerns about rental properties in the city.
Grandi started by raising objections with the appearance at Fox Crossing, saying that the grass cutting has been sporadic, the landscaping is incomplete and the parking lot didn’t appear finished.
John Hotvedt, representing S.R. Mills and Bear Development at the City Council meeting, said the landscaping and final pavement would be addressed once the second phase was complete. He said he would look into the mowing issues. He also reassured Grandi that Bear Development has a track record of making its properties look good with the finished product.
“It’s a work in progress,” he said.
Preusker then raised several issues, starting with the fact there aren’t any park plans for the premises and contending the units are a drain on city resources.
The property doesn’t have proper land for a park, so the developers will be paying money to the city for its park fund.
Preusker also raised concerns that the new units are subsidized – or rental-assistance – apartments.
Since a majority of the units are rent-subsidized, Preusker maintained those kind of apartment result in more police calls.
Alderman Tom Vos, who owns rental property in the city, came back with “If we have a police call to a duplex, or have a police call to a 32-unit building, it doesn’t matter.”
Looking at the police logs and criminal complaints of the past few weeks, it did not appear the Fox Crossing apartments had many – if any – calls, while the police have dealt with a number of other incidents at other apartment complexes in the city.
Mayor Bob Miller asked Preusker if the objection was that the units were subsidized, and Preusker said, essentially, yes.
City Administrator Carina Walters conceded that there was a “valid question” on how the units would impact the city, but that people would use city services anyway – and crime statistics in the city are, in general, down. Grandi also said that, according to 2010 census numbers, 43 percent of the households in Burlington are rental households, and that 19 percent of those rentals are subsidized.
However, subsidized housing in Burlington ranges from the recently built Boardwalk and Fox Crossing to the Chapel Terrace Townhouses – which presents a wide range of rents and amenities.
After a long discussion, Alderman Ed Johnson said the second phase had already been approved, and all the council was being asked to approve was taking the units from 24 to 32.
The city’s Plan Commission had also approved the unit increase last week, with only questions about the parking. Last week, Mills showed that the development would have more than two parking stalls available per unit between the underground parking in the first phase and the surface lot access.
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