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J."f.J..4] J..I.., ..1..7-" ., · ROSEVILLE · Neighbors fight to keep it small Resìdents lobby agaìnst shìft to medìum density -and wìn PAM HENl'GES The fate of one of Roseville's residential neighbQrhoods wason the line last week and residents applauded council members' decision to keep it in place. The city council voted to keep the 700 and 600 blocks of W. County Road C at a low density residential designation, rather than bumping it up to medium density. Mayor Vem Johnson was the only vote for the change, saying that the area was an ideal spot for development of this type. "I think it would fit in there nicely and 1 don't think it would have a signif- icant impact on the surrounding residents." The request for medium density was made earlier this year by AI Kehr, who planned to turn his three sites on W. County Road C into a multi-family development. "I am really at a loss on how to vote on this - this is. a very diffi- cult decision to make," Council Member John Goedeke said. "I don't think this type of housing affects the neighborhood as much as people think it will. And 1 will have to go along with the idea that this area should be designat- ed medium density residential." Goedeke later changed his mind and voted against the density shift. . "I did not have a hard time making up my mind. You can see all the statistics you want, but 1 think impact is in the eye of the beholder," Council Member Barb Mastel said. "I just don't think this project fits into this neighbor- hood and 1 can't support anything that doesn't fit into our city." The process that got the request to its final vote was a complicated one and Dennls Welsch, the city's community development director, said staff recommendations went back and forth a few times. At the March 9 Planning "._.._4_~__~__ ___..:_..... ......... ...._.-- "1 will not support this proposal because there is a balance in that area and 1 do think the increased traffic. will affect the quality of life for . those residents." -Pat Johnson after .·residents. expressed· their opposition/t~.the . potential changes,. the commission recom- mended denial.. of anY c~ges in the land use designation .:.. includ-: ing the Kehrproperty. "The commission cited..tl1e ~.ck of support from adjoining neigh- bors to. the west, the American Legion and the Qwners to the east of the Kehr property," Welsch said. But on May 11, the commission reconsidered its previous contra- dictory recommendations of May 9 and April 13 and recommended the change from low to medium density for the.land, including the Kehr property. Increased traffic in the area and a loss of wildlife were two of the concerns residents expressed which Council Member Pat Johnson heard them loud and clear. "I will not support .this proposal because there is a balance in that area and' 1 do think the increased traffic will affect the quality of life for those resideñts,'? Johnson said. Not only will the traffic affect the reside~ts, but the· deçrease in open land will change the charac- ter of the neighborhood, one resi- dent said. "I live directly across from the proposed development and if this goes through we won't see fox anymore, or deer and owls," she ... .~..." . ., .. .. - . .-- '" " / ., ~/