A new condominium could soon spring up along Highway 182.
The Starkville Board of Aldermen Tuesday night unanimously approved developer Michael Kraker”s request to allow a residential use in a C2 general business district. The .38-acre property is located adjacent to a two-story, two-building apartment complex already owned by Kraker at the corner of North Montgomery Street and Highway 182.
Kraker hopes to build a single brick building of 2 1/2 and 3 stories between one of the existing residential structures and the easternmost property line of the site. The building will contain 10 condominiums with eight single-bedroom units and two two-bedroom units at 403 Highway 182 E.
Kraker submitted a similar request in November 2006, which was unanimously denied by the city”s planning & zoning commission. No reason for the denial was provided in the official meeting minutes.
Another request was submitted by Kraker in July 2008, which the planning & zoning commission recommended to aldermen for approval with a 4 to 3 vote. The Board of Aldermen denied the request 5-1.
Kraker has since worked with city planners and a nearby property owner, who initially was opposed to the development because he feared excess storm water runoff, but those issues and others have been addressed in site plans.
Ward 5 Alderman Jeremiah Dumas commended Kraker for the work he has put in on the project.
“I”m looking forward to having this in Ward 5,” Dumas said.
In other business, the city has an extra $415,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds after construction this year was completed cheaper than anticipated. The funds will go toward an overlay of Louisville Street, south from Academy Road to Industrial Park Drive, “or as far as we can take it” before the money runs out, city engineer Edward Kemp said.
Aldermen also heard a complaint from Rosie Smith, of 1307 North Montgomery St., about loud noise from passing vehicles and the smells coming from a neighbor”s farm. Starkville Chief Administrative Officer Lynn Spruill will look further into the complaints about the neighbor.
Smith complained the smell of cows on the property is “stinky,” hay bails near her property line have attracted rats and other rodents, and she believes the neighbor is selling clothing and other items from the property. The city might be able to do something about the multiple trailers located on the property because the land is zoned R1, where trailers are not allowed, Spruill said.
Ward 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins asked Spruill to come back to the board in January with a report on the situation and possible solutions.
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