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A quick note here at the top that I will be in town next weekend and would love to see you all for happy hour and to talk shop on Friday (May 16th) at 4Hands. Let's call it 4:30. Please, bring a friend!
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On another note, last week I suggested that any new development on the (now dead) Kirkwood Apartments site adopt the name "Pullman Place" after the old school that used to occupy the site, but that should've read "Pitman Place". I apologize for the error and thank the readers that sent me corrections. If you're interested, you can read more about the historic Pitman School in this great 2021 Webster-Kirkwood Times article.
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- The agenda for next Monday's Board of Adjustment meeting has been published, meaning we have our first insight into the nature of the multifamily development proposed for 111 and 119 W. Rose Hill and the variances the developer is requesting:
- The proposal calls for a duplex on the western lot (119) and a triplex on the eastern lot (111), separated by a covered driveway running between the two buildings. Each of the five units seems to feature two bedrooms, two baths, and is fronted by a front porch. Everyone is upset Kirkwood is losing its starter homes and thus its status as a destination for young families, but these seem like the perfect answer: small, affordable homes for young families looking to build both equity and community.
- The three variances requested are actually the same variance requested three times: a 2' encroachment into the required 7' landscaping buffer on the West, North, and East sides of the development. Ther 2' encroachment is needed down the full length of the eastern side of the property, but only the back left corner (surrounding the detached garage) on the north and west sides
- The Board of Adjustment seems to uniformly approve all kinds of variances pertaining to single family homes —garages, decks, etc— that hardly seem to meet the criteria of "an unnecessary hardship," and yet rejected what I thought to be much more essential variances for the 7-unit townhome project "The Maje Residences" next to Grant's Trail. If they reject this fairly modest request for a second missing middle project, I'm going to call foul.
- On a very related note, you can apply to serve as a volunteer on various boards and committees (including those with real power like the Board of Adjustment) by filling out this application. Do it and help be part of the solution!
- The agenda for last night's P&Z meeting featured two items:
- First, a new ADU proposal for Forest Ave, if passed it would be Kirkwood's third. Again, City Council has no discretion to deny ADUs if city staff determines that the proposal meets all the associated regulations, so it remains endlessly frustrating to me that we wast everyone's time making applicants and architects attend multiple city council meetings before offering them rubber stamp approval. We should make ADUs a permitted use rather than a special use and save applicants and the Council alike time and money.
- Less exciting, the half-assed FAR regulation revisions also show up for the first time before moving on to the Council
- Don't forget to offer your feedback on the preliminary SE Kirkwood Connectivity Study plans if you haven't done so already!
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That's it for this week! This Saturday, May 10th (happy birthday, Dad!) the Kirkwood Garden Club will host their annual Plant and Flower sale at Ken Connor Park (the corner of Kirkwood and Argonne). Come buy some plants and support a local institution! Have a great weekend everyone, and most importantly, happy Mother's Day!
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