“Quite frankly, the proposal is a slap in the face to all the work we’ve done.” He added: “Also, this is one of Mount Pleasant’s problems over the past 40 to 50 years, and why we have so very few commercial areas left in town … we are always asked to rezone our commercial areas to residential.”
On that note, Rambo endorsed placing a hotel on the acreage since it’s a major need for visiting families in the northern end of Mount Pleasant.
Councilmember Mike Tinkey, conversely, touched on the terms of the proposed rentals of $3,500 to $4,000 a month, which he concluded would require a police officer or educator to seek roomates. And more townhome occupants, he continued, would equal more cars, which led Tinkey to communicate that he would be voting in favor of a motion to send the plan back to commitee.
Councilmember Laura Hyatt, who also serves as the planning commitee chair, agreed with Rambo in trying to curb the pattern of continually transitioning commercial opportunities to residential.
The fact that these townhomes are designed as rentals, she observed, would ensure a constant flow of new residents entering the community as leases expire. That influx, she noted, could poentially usher in four times the number of cars they expected from this project.
Town attorney David G. Pagliarini cleared up the legal concerns, telling lawmakers that denial of the proposal would terminate the ordinance, but allow the developer to submit a new application.
Town Planning Director Michele Reed chimed in by offering that if a new plan is substantially different from the previous one, the investor could make their submission as soon as they’re ready. In the absence of drastic changes, however, the applicant would need to wait one year before making a second proposal.
Rambo refused to withdraw his motion of denial when asked by Mayor Pro-Tempore Howard Chapman, which resulted in a subsequent vote to overrule denial by a 6-2 tally.
A motion to defer the matter back to committee had the same 6-2 outcome, with only Hyatt and Rambo issuing “no” votes.