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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Friday, October 23, 2009 6:10 PM CDT
Charleston board sides with review panel on Division Street zoning issue

By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com

CHARLESTON — Future housing development just north of Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium might not include large apartment buildings, under the city’s proposed new zoning map.

The Charleston zoning board on Thursday consented to uphold a city review committee’s recommendation to rezone the east side of Division Street from Grant to Johnson avenues from the multi-family residential associated with large apartment building to two-family/duplex residential.

Thursday’s meeting, still in session after 8 p.m., was part of the board’s ongoing review of proposed amendments to the city’s zoning map. The board has now completed looking over a list of concerns raised by property owners at an Aug. 11 public hearing.

Once the board votes on the map, this recommendation will go before the Charleston City Council for final approval.

Regarding Division Street, property owner John Williams spoke on Aug. 11 about his concern that rezoning the east side would hurt investments he has made in this neighborhood with plans to someday construct a large apartment building there. Williams offered alternative scenarios for rezoning there.

Currently, the west side of Division is zoned single-family residential and the east side is zoned multi-family residential. Under the proposed amendment, the east side would be rezoned to two-family/duplex residential. Multi-family residential would remain in place to the east of this area.

Zoning board member Tim Jacobs, who also served on the review committee, said the committee’s intention was to create buffers around single-family residential areas throughout town, not just Division. He noted that zoning board member Jim Wood, also on the review committee, lives in the Division neighborhood.

Wood has talked openly about his residency through the process, including on Thursday.

Zoning board member Pat Adair raised concerns for keeping current zoning on the east side of Division. He said this property is prime for development of a large apartment building due to its closeness to the football field and the rest of campus. He said the board needs to look to the future of this area.

Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 2398-6861.

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Harry Potter wrote on Oct 23, 2009 7:33 AM:

" Woods attitude seems to be any body's neighborhood but mine. "

Dottedline wrote on Oct 23, 2009 12:59 PM:

" The town "officials" seem to know one thing: more big apartment complexes! It is the ONLY growth "industry" here and it is absurd. Eastern's enrollments are NOT projected to grow and Eastern has said they cannot grow beyond current levels. Who exactly is going to live in all these big apartment complexes? These decisions are DESTROYING any hope of Charleston's actually developing a small college town charm with retail, commercial and industrial growth as well. Is it really by design that city officials want to end up with a non-descript town with a college surrounded by half-occupied large apartment complexes and those surrounded by run-down, vacant properties and way out at the margins overpriced, oversized McMansions? All with very little retail anywhere, no industry to speak of? Really? MORE big apartment complexes ANYWHERE in Charleston? What are you thinking??!! Haven't you destroyed enough already? Well, the answer is: ENOUGH ALREADY!! "

usmcvet wrote on Oct 23, 2009 1:57 PM:

" Williams has the same attitude,heck he voiced his opinion about a B&B that he had no use for in his neighborhood.But on the other hand he plans someday to construct an apartment building near Division St.where he owns rental property.He wants the best of both worlds now doesn't he ?

And with Wood,isn't that pretty much a conflict of interest with him being on the zoning board and a landlord to boot,I THINK SO !!. ? Too many conflicts of interest in Charleston to get any sort of sensible decisions made. "

Harry Potter wrote on Oct 25, 2009 12:41 PM:

" Realtors and landlords should not be setting on zoning boards. Too much of an opportunity for a conflict of interest. These are the kinds of things that give city government a bad name, and cause them to be perceived as good old boy networks. "