Residents of Laurel Gardens and the surrounding neighborhood took one final chance to voice their concerns over the redevelopment of the 80-unit apartment and town house complex to the Laurel City Council last week. Despite some emotional testimony, the council voted 5-0 to approve the overlay zoning that will help move the redevelopment forward.
“A move is going to be hard on us. I’m not against progress,” Kathleen Tinsman, who lives in Laurel Gardens, told the council. “At first, this was shocking; I had a nervous breakdown. Now I’m doing better, I’m coming to terms with it in the way I have to. I’m a survivor, I can move on, but I hope the realty will help their tenants move on, help us move on to a new options.”
Tinsman was one of nine people to speak at the council’s public hearing May 30 on the overlay zoning. All spoke directly to Laurel Gardens: concern over the manner in which the plan developed and was communicated; concern over traffic and construction; and concern for the future of the 80-unit, seven-building complex, which owner Laurel Realty Co. plans to tear down and replace with 10 new buildings, with an addition of 34 more units at higher rents.
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Anthony Tassallo, who lives in Laurel Gardens, said he and other residents were concerned over a lack of a timetable for any development, and felt like they were being overlooked.
“Our only hope is that we’re not treated like we’re being evicted, like we’ve violated something,” Tassallo said. “All we want is a deeper consideration for the tenants living there. We don’t want to stop the project; we know we can’t stop progress. We just don’t want to be left out in the cold.”
Grant Gross, who lives on Phillip Powers Drive, questioned why Laurel Realty wanted to increase the number of units in the complex.
“A project between the current level of 84 units and the city limit of 96 units would be more reasonable,” he said. “The homeowners want fewer units because a project of this size would change the character of the neighborhood in a negative way. It would bring more traffic to the area … a closure of Park Avenue would bring more speeding traffic (to nearby streets). We already have problems with cars flying down Phillip Powers Drive … several small children live on our street and we don’t need more high-speed traffic. More renters will bring more noise, potentially more crime and more problems for the neighborhood.”
Council members ultimately voted in favor of the overlay zoning; Council President Donna Crary said many of the residents’ concerns had already been addressed and the plan had already been amended to reflect those concerns. Others expressed sympathy for renters in Laurel Gardens, but said plans had to move forward.
“I truly do feel for people that are living in these particular apartments,” said Ward 1 Council Member H. Edward Ricks. “I grew up around them, but I think the fact is that the economic basis is just not there for the apartments to continue the way they’re continuing. … Overall, I think these apartments, when they’re built in the way I understand they will be built, will benefit the community more than they would hurt the community.”
Mayor Craig Moe agreed with the council’s vote, and reminded members of the public that approval of the overlay plan did not necessarily mean approval of the Laurel Gardens redevelopment.
“There will be more public hearings, and I think some of the questions asked tonight will be answered as we move forward,” Moe said at the May 30 meeting.
The new buildings, Moe said, will be built in accordance with standards that didn’t exist when the complex was built 60 years ago.
“They will be required to have workforce housing,” he said. “Under our current code, they will be required to meet moderate price standards. Sixty years ago there was no storm-water management requirements … there was no parking standard 60 years ago, there was no landscaping requirements. Traffic standards have all been changed, and the standards for building green buildings — there was none of that 60 years ago,” Moe said. “These buildings will be more efficient, and they will be a better product for the individual.”
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