By Taylor Wooten
More than 200 rentals are coming to Greenwood after city council members had several lengthy discussions about the appearance and upkeep of the proposed units.
The Greenwood City Council on Monday voted to annex 32 acres of land into the city for the development of a 213-unit rental community. Before moving forward, the developer asked the council to remove a previous amendment that banned vinyl siding on the property.
The council voted 5-4 to reverse the amendment that was added at the June 7 meeting. The property, located between 688 and 952 N. Combs Road, a few miles south of the county line, was annexed into Greenwood on a separate 5-4 vote for the amended ordinance.
Eric Prime, attorney for Dorob Holdings, LLC, an Ohio-based developer, responded to comments from two concerned Greenwood residents.
A nearby resident was concerned the rentals will not have proper upkeep, potentially lowering surrounding property values. Another resident said the council should not decide until there’s a fleshed-out plan, rather than concepts.
Upkeep of the rentals will be managed by a central entity, ensuring they are well-maintained, Prime said. At this stage, it is natural to not yet have concrete details as the developer seeks annexation of the farmland, he said.
The vinyl ban would have killed the project. To construct one group of the proposed three-unit groups using vinyl, it would cost $5,600. Using other materials such as cement fiber siding or masonry, it would cost $31,000, Prime said.
“So multiply that by the number of units in the proposed project and it becomes impossible for them to make the numbers work,” he said.
Several members of the council had strong feelings about allowing the units to be built using vinyl. Council members Ron Bates, J. David Hopper, Dave Lekse and Michael Williams voted no.
Vinyl doesn’t age well, and last week’s hailstorm is a good example of something that could be damaging to the material, Hopper said.
Williams agreed.
But because the proposed annexation is located near a warehouse, it is a good location for young, working Greenwood residents to rent a home as opposed to an apartment, council member Linda Gibson said.
“I think more and more of our young people are not going to be able to afford a home, and what I like about this project is that it’s there in the area where there (are) workers,” Gibson said. “There’s not a lot of opportunity not to be in an apartment.”
With both the annexation and amendment allowing vinyl passing 5-4, the project will move forward.
The community will be made up of all rental units built by Pride One, an Ohio-based construction company. It will consist of 117 attached ranch-style single-family houses, and 33 townhomes, all with garages.
The neighborhood will resemble a traditional single-family subdivision, except all the homes will be rentals priced at market rate, Prime said. There will also be a clubhouse and pool.
The developer included a summary of the development’s impact on Clark-Pleasant Community Schools in its new fiscal plan. The developer expects 105 school-age children to live there in the first five years.
The council was forced to reconsider its initial vote at the last hearing, as they had voted without holding a public hearing. The annexation initially passed unanimously with the amendment banning vinyl.
