New Plat, Phillipsburg-Union Road
Duplex units subject of debate
Gravel Road
Controversy
Independent 11/27/96
BY GARY GREGORY Independent Editor
Nearly a dozen residents raised various concerns at the Union Council meeting Monday.
Leading the way for ongoing concerns about the gravel road controversy were Wanda Thornton, 616 Skyles, and Timmy K. Bell, 114 Workman. Both Thornton, Bell, and several other Union residents expressed their displeasure about the updated ordinance, which they claim is unfair because some residents have been granted variances and other have not.
Basically, a tad over a year ago council OK'd an ordinance requiring paved driveways Specifically, the legislation calls for driveways paved with "asphalt concrete, brick, paving blocks or other similar hard surface material."
Most of the half dozen residents opposing the amended ordinance (the original one was passed in the early 1970s) expressed their unhappiness because council "did not grandfather it.
Bell has carried his complaints a step further when he filed a complaint in the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court about two months ago. Since then he said he has hired an attorney and the matter is in litigation.
Thus, council could not comment any further about the matter. Law Director John Moore said that the matter is "pending in court now" and that the entire process of granting variances via the Board of Zoning Appeals is still "valid until it (would be) determined invalid."
Bell, meanwhile, is pursuing a declaratory judgment against Union by focusing on the unconstitutionality of the ordinance. He seeks reimbursement for his legal fees regarding his lawsuit. A pretrial hearing is slated Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Union City Manager John Applegate explained some of the history of the gravel road saga. The ordinance passed last year, he said, was done in order to "give some definition to what was meant by paving."
Moreover, he said that gravel driveways which have received exemptions or variances from the zoning board are primarily located in the older section of town which includes homes more than 100 years old.
Furthermore, Applegate -- in response to concerns of citizens about how local governmental business is conducted -- pointed to the city book of resolutions and ordinances OK'd by council over the years and said, "This is the (city) Bible, right here. That's what I go by."
Approval by council is the result of a process that Applegate described as "response to citizens concerns" and "deal with majority rule."
In other council business, council members encouraged residents to attend the annual tree lighting and bonfire event scheduled Sunday at 6 p m.
The next Union Council meeting will be held Monday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m.
Duplex units subject of debate
Recent local trends indicate that duplex housing units are hot; hot in terms of both sales and as a subject of public debate. While some have discovered advantages in this alternative housing opportunity, others have remained carefully suspicious and skeptical of any possible values it may possess.
John Applegate, Union city manager, defined a duplex housing unit as a "dwelling unit that has two single family living areas that are attached by a common wall."
He added that public debate arises when people associate duplex houses with apartment complexes or multi-family dwellings, which tend to lower surrounding property values.
The duplex buildings, however, can offer a number of advantages to a community that are often overlooked.
Jeff Bothwell, Englewood development director, stated that duplex housing is excellent for a community because it can be built as both up-scale and entry-level housing.
It attracts investors and older citizens who want to collect additional income by renting one side of the duplex, while living in the other.
Young couples just starting out also find these housing units accommodating.
Perhaps the greatest advantages of duplex housing, according to Applegate, are that it gives a community a larger range in the types of housing it can offer its citizens and it encourages new people to move into the area by offering housing that is more affordable.
Average selling prices for local duplex housing units can range from $125,000 to $180,000 per building, according to Applegate. He added that property values should not be affected by duplexes, when, on average, one side of a building goes for $60,000-to $80,000.
Often statistics such as these are overlooked by single family homeowners who believe that the duplexes, still, will have only a negative impact on the value of their properties.
Jamie Day, a realtor with Roth Realty in Englewood, stated that he can understand the concerns of the single-family homeowners, He claimed that quite often bad management results in poor upkeep of the homes' physical appearances.
"It all depends on the owners of the properties. If the homes are not well maintained they can hurt upscale property values," said Day.
Malcolm Treon of the Home Team Realty firm stated that proper zoning of duplex units also plays an important role in maintaining the property values of single family homes.
2/11/98 BY STEPHEN DREW
Iadpendent Editor
Union City Council took the first step toward approving a development that will account for 147 housing units within the city.
At Monday's meeting council passed the first reading of an ordinance approving the rezoning of 40.8 acres located south of Phillipsburg-Union Road and 1,500 feet west of St. Rt. 48.
The land, currently zoned A-R (agricultural-residential) will be rezoned to R4 and R-5 (residential) if council approves three readings.
Developer Eric Sonnenberg of Sonnenberg Construction hopes to build 51 single-family, 18 duplex and 15, four-family cluster units within Union.
In August of 1997 Sonnenberg presented a proposal that was not favored by residents in the immediate area, and consequently redesigned the project. Although a few residents voiced concerns over the development, none appeared to be displeased with the new plan.
"We listened to the audience's concerns last time we were here and made changes," said Sonnenberg during a public hearing prior to the council vote. "I believe residents will be happy with the modifications."
According to Sonnenberg, the single-family homes will be comparable, but a step above, units located within the Union Ridge subdivision.
Single-family homes will have brick around the entire building with a minimum brick height of eight feet, said Sonnenberg.
The proposed 18 duplexes (36 units) will be similar to the doubles units located on Main Street in Union, said Sonnenberg. However, all units will have two-car garages.
A total of 15, four-family units will make up the entire multi-family development, said Sonnenberg. The units will be all brick.
Initial plans called for 192 multi- family units, said City Manager John Applegate.
A few residents voiced concerns that the multi-family units could eventually become subsidized housing, but Sonnenberg said it will not happen. "The deed restrictions call for no subsidized housing," said Sonnenberg. "It can't happen. We will own the units, and we will maintain the units as well."
If approved, Applegate said the development could bring in substantial monies to the city.
Tap-in fees alone for water and sewer would provide approximately $164,000 for the city. Those fees would only be collected one time.
However, annual fees for water, sewer, trash and stormwater, according to Applegate, would amount to about $82,000 annually for Union.
Building permit fees would add up to an additional, one-time only balance of $55,000, said Applegate.
Also at the meeting, council approved the purchase of a leaf loader from Streaker Tractor Sales, Inc. The unit will replace the city's existing machine that is in poor shape, said Applegate.
Council and audience members also discussed funding for the city pool. Many in attendance expressed their wish to have the pool open this year.
At the previous council meeting Applegate said asdditional funds are needed to renovate the pool adequately.
The issue will be discussed in greater detail at the next council meeting on Feb. 23.
