A proposed housing development on Bussard Road in Washington is now on hold.
About a month ago, Net Worth Builders was successful in getting the area refined to allow for multi-family residences when Washington’s City Council approved the rezone. The project would include 4 five-unit town houses and approximately 50 single family homes, however, the plat request presented to the Plan Commission Wednesday night, included a new request.
The builders were asking to rezone two additional areas to R-3, with one area to be used to build five additional townhouses. The other requests included narrowing the streets from city standards and making exceptions to sidewalk requirements.
The Plan Commission gave its approval to rezone one section, but did not consider the additional townhouses. The Commission denied the request for narrower streets based on safety concerns about emergency vehicle access.
Board of Zoning Appeals chairman, Don Spillman asked the Plan Commission’s input on Net Worth’s requests for developmental variances to reduce lot size from the required 6,000 sq. ft. to 4,200 sq. ft., and to reduce the minimum lot width from 50 ft. to 42 ft.
By a unanimous vote, the Plan Commission preferred the original R-3 standards be maintained.
The Board of Zoning Appeals met in a special session requested by Net Worth immediately following the Plan Commission meeting. When the meeting was called to order, Dennis Helms, whose company was representing Net Worth at the meeting, told the BZA that all requested developmental variances were being withdrawn and that the contractors and investors in Net Worth were reconsidering their options.