BROOKINGS – The Brookings Planning Commission approved the final development plan for the four-story building known as The Lofts at Parkhill this week, after a lot of debate about overflow parking.
The mixed-use building will bring stores and apartments to Sixth Street at 12th Avenue. The structure and its parking lot will cover about half the block, with the building facing Sixth Street and the parking lot extending south toward Fifth Street.
Commission member James Drew recused himself from the agenda item because he, David Jones and Rick Ribstein, all of the Alliance Group, are the primary partners on the project.
Mike Struck, community development director, explained the site plan has a small overflow parking lot with an exit onto 12th Avenue and, for now, would keep the house that now sits at the corner of Fifth Street and 12th Avenue. The developers could later transform the corner of Fifth Street and 12th Avenue into more parking if it was needed, with no access onto Fifth Street.
Parking concerns
There was no public comment from audience members, but Commissioner Kristi Tornquist asked about the parking.
Struck said the Brookings City Council approved the plan with the idea the south lot would be held in case developers needed more parking.
“We asked the developer to show the buildout as the city council envisioned it,” Struck said.
If the Planning Commission approved the site plan with the overflow lots, then the developers could just proceed with construction if they deemed the extra parking necessary, but leave the land as it is until then, Struck explained. Without the commission’s approval, the developers would have to come back for approval to build the overflow lot.
Struck said the developers have already indicated they will need a portion of the lot to accommodate parking needs, but the house on the corner will remain.
The commission discussed the type of businesses that would be allowed to set up shop on the first floor of the building; part of the first floor and the other three floors would be apartments. Commission member Al Heuton raised concerns about businesses that would require more parking than the location could handle.
Size is another concern, Struck pointed out, as commercial spaces would be limited to no more than 5,000 square feet.
In the end, the commission eliminated businesses that distribute gas, auto sales, drinking establishments, recyclable drop-off, auto service stations, repair garages, freight handling, domestic abuse shelters, outdoor sales, broadcast towers and car washes. That amendment passed unanimously.
Council intent
Tornquist wanted to go back to the parking issue, saying the city council had approved a good plan and the Planning Commission was already being asked to approve more parking.
The intent was to save the house and keep a residential buffer on Fifth Street, Drew said. The council always intended to hold the south lot for overflow parking, if it was needed in the future. Approving the overflow lots doesn’t mean the developers have to build it now.
Struck explained that without the commission’s approval of the overflow lots, the developer might find out the extra parking is necessary, but have to wait weeks or months to be able to build the parking lot while they come back to the commission and then wait on construction materials or weather.
“They don’t have to build it all at this time,” Struck said.
Commission member Greg Fargen said the plan with the small overflow lot improves the chance of the house being saved for a longer time.
“The intent was not to make the developer continuously come back to the Planning Commission,” Struck said. “What they’re proposing is exactly what the city council said.”
Going forward with the parking lots is at the discretion of the developer, City Manager Jeff Weldon said.
“The developers have already come forward saying they already need the additional parking,” Struck said.
An amendment was proposed to change the motion to eliminate the overflow parking altogether. That failed 6-2 with Pierce and Tornquist the only commissioners voting in favor.
That put the commission back to the original site plan.
No exit to Fifth
Heuton mentioned one of the council’s stipulations that there be no entrance/exit from the overflow lot onto Fifth Street. The plan before the commission had an entrance/exit onto 12th Avenue and none on Fifth.
Pierce proposed an amendment to approve only the plan with the small overflow lot that allowed the house to remain. She wanted to require developers to get further approval to tear down the house and impact Fifth Street.
“We ought to keep control over that issue. Wait and see on that piece,” Pierce said, adding to Drew, “I think we would be meeting your needs right now.”
The vote was split 4-4 and failed on the deadlock. Voting “yes” were Alan Johnson, Pierce, Eric Rasmussen and Tornquist; voting “no” were Heuton, Alan Gregg, Tanner Aiken and Fargen.
The developers and the city staff can determine if additional parking is needed by monitoring the businesses’ and tenants’ needs, Struck said.
The commission discussed fencing versus natural screens, deciding they liked the natural screens of shrubs and other foliage better. Aiken wanted more landscaping along Fifth Street.
The commission approved an amendment to show landscaping with berms, shrubs and living fencing.
One last vote was taken to include the original site plans with the overflow parking lots and all the previously approved amendments. That vote passed 8-0.
Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.
