New senior living facility OK’d by city

By Jennifer Eisenbart

Editor

The proposed plan for a senior living facility on two currently unoccupied properties along Teut Road was approved Tuesday night at the City of Burlington Plan Commission meeting.

Oak Park Place plans to build the first phase of a senior living facility at 1624 and 1700 Teut Road, which will include assisted living apartments and a memory care facility.

The second phase includes independent living senior housing, but only phase one was approved by the Plan Commission Tuesday.

There were concerns raised at the meeting – both by citizens of Teut Road and by Plan Commission members as well.

Teut Road resident Vicky View read a letter outlining her concerns, which include traffic from the facility onto Teut Road and the planned use being a deviation from the 2035 Multi-Jurisdictional Comprehensive Plan. She raised several questions throughout the meeting.

Similar concerns were raised by Plan Commission member John Lynch, who is concerned about changing the zoning from B-1 Neighborhood Business District to multi-family residential with a planned unit development overlay.

He said he had no problem with the concept, but “I am concerned about that placement within the business district.” He said it would create an “island of a residential area.”

The two parcels are located side-by-side, on a hill that overlooks Milwaukee Avenue to the east and the Burlington Crossing Shopping Center to the north.

Shawn McKibben, who there to represent Tyler Weavers on the proposed development, said the facility is a business, and that he and Weavers were looking for a property that met several criteria – including being along a major corridor (in this case, Milwaukee Avenue/Highway 36) and near conveniences like Walmart.

McKibben also said placing such a facility in a residential neighborhood doesn’t work out.

“This is a business,” he said.

He stressed that there would be a minimum of additional traffic to the road, as most residents would not have vehicles and at least a fourth of employees tend to either use public transportation or get dropped off.

City Planner Patrick Meehan said the facility fit the neighborhood, and added that it would be an additional business to produce tax revenue for the city.

Jack Baker, the real estate agent handling the property, said, “I thought it would be a slam-dunk for Burlington.”

“It’s appropriate right where it is,” he added.

All the votes by the Plan Commission – which included approving a certified survey map, rezoning the property, amending the comprehensive plan and approving the conditional use and site plan – were unanimous in favor of the facility.