By Jeremy Handel, Staff Writer
At its July 26 meeting, the Woodruff City Council approved the first reading of two items regarding the sale and development of the Mills Mill ballpark into senior housing and the proposed reduction of recently passed development impact fees.
Woodruff could see an additional 32 senior housing units if a proposed development is approved at the August city council meeting. The council approved the first reading of an item to sell 3.03 acres at 220 Mill Street and the rezoning of the property from single-family residential to multi-family residential.
City Manager, Lee Bailey, told the council the city was approached by a developer who wants to add a senior living complex to the city. He said the project would include 32 units for rent to residents over age 55.
The development is proposed for the former Mills Mill ballfield site, which has been unused for years and has fallen into disrepair. The city is interested in continuing to redevelop that area, and the addition of affordable senior housing is needed.
Bailey indicated that the property would not only bring the needed housing to the area but that the city is trading the parcel for another parcel on Chamberlain Street, which is expected to be developed into a future indoor recreation facility for the city.
Bailey said the developer has been working on the proposed project for months and expects it to progress quickly if approved. The council unanimously approved the first reading. The project will come back before the council for the second and final reading at their August meeting.
The council also approved the first reading of an ordinance to revise the recently passed development impact fees. The fees, which were implemented to fund the future expansion of the police department and construction of new parks and recreation amenities, have received some negative feedback from developers as being too high for the area. After a study, city staff found the fees could be adjusted to prevent deterring development while still generating enough revenue to fund the proposed projects.
In other business, council members unanimously voted to approve the second reading of an ordinance to revise the city’s planned development zoning classification to allow for industrial projects to be included with commercial and residential in a single project application. While industrial will now be allowed with commercial, it will not be allowed with only residential as a second component.
The council also approved the first reading of an ordinance authorizing the city to enter into a financing agreement with Truist Bank for $171,000 to lease new police vehicles. The funding allows the city to lease vehicles already fully loaded with police equipment and technology rather than leasing vehicles and then paying extra to have them retrofitted for police work.
City Council meetings are held on the last Tuesday of every month and are open to the public. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, August 30 at 5:30 p.m. at Woodruff City Hall.
Author: Tracy Sanders
