After more than seven years of speculation, there appears to be some indication about what’s going in on the vacant lot at the corner of West Superior and Reno Drive that used to be Cars2Go.
Gun Lake Investments, affiliated with the Gun Lake Tribe and Casino, Tuesday night asked the Wayland City Planning Commission for rezoning and site plan review for a proposed Planned Unit Development for an apartment complex.
The parcel, zoned for mixed use residential and commercial on 4.39 acres, would take in a proposed maximum of up to 130 units, including single, two- and three-bedroom apartments.
The site had been vacant since 2017, when the former used car business building was razed. The location first was taken up by Bill and Lester Herb more than 50 years ago to establish Herb Chevrolet, one of the very first businesses to move from downtown to West Superior near the U.S-131 expressway. The Herbs decided to move in the wake of a massive fire that destroyed the building downtown in 1965.
All of the commissioners and ex-officio member Jerry Jansen said they really liked the project’s concept and and plans, but there were serious questions about adequate parking and increased traffic at an area already considered congested.
Zoning Administrator Lori Castello of Professional Code Inspections said though the density of the project is high,…”with infrastructure such as roads and utilities available to support the density, concerns like traffic, stormwater and sanitary sewer use are easily addressed. Additionally, the existing ordinance was adopted in 2001, at a time when housing needs were lower, materials were less expensive and both household sizes and overall housing preferences were different.”
A deficit of 73 parking spaces was noted because the proposed 130 units should have 1.75 spaces for each unit. Project engineer Adam Rak said studies have shown that only 1.31 spaces per unit are necessary.
There also needs to be accommodations for pedestrian walkways besides the already existing sidewalks on Reno Drive and West Superior, which developers said would occur.
Jason Derry of PCI said, “I really do think this would be a good development for the city, but it’s a little scary because of its density.”
Rak countered, “We think this is a great site. It will bring in a lot of people to Wayland.”
Rak also said recent studies identified one of the biggest problems in the quality of life for the community is the lack of affordable housing.
Monica King, representing the Gun Lake Tribe and a member of the Downtown Development Authority, said, “This has been an empty lot for a long time. This is one of our (the Tribe’s) biggest developments outside our campus “
Just before the discussion about the project, the Planning Commission, after a public hearing, granted a rezoning request, from B-2 commercial and business to mixed use Planned Unit Development (PUD).
But Commission Chairman JD Gonzales said he isn’t sure the project adequately takes care of the parking problem. “I have concerns about where commercial people will park” and he flatly rejected an idea to allow use of the Harding’s Market parking lot across the street on Reno Drive without some kind of a walkway.
“We have that minimum number (of parking spaces requirements) for a reason.”
But Derry said, “Just because we have those numbers doesn’t mean they’re right.”
However, Plan Commission Vice Chair Anne Tatroux told Rak, “Go sit down there (on West Superior) at 5 o’clock when the traffic off U.S.131 gets backed up and semis want to make left hand turns. Throw more traffic into that mix and you’ll have a lot of angry people.”
Gonzales reiterated, “If we approve this, we don’t want people to have a bad taste in their mouths (about the project). I love the concept (of the project), it’s a positive move for the city.”
Seemingly at a stalemate, Rak proposed that he and other proponents bring in a traffic engineer to present information.
Therefore, the project has a lot of support, but the traffic and parking issues have resulted in a the matter being tabled until the Nov. 12 meeting.
I don’t believe this is a good idea to place this project on a intersection like this ,it would be better suited for a parcel down farther on Reno drive. It would just look out of place ,this site would be better suited for retail business that I would like to see more of than a apartment complex. My opinion.
As an example the family complex just south of this, within view, has significant parking issues in the evenings, nights and weekends.
There is no room to park to drop off or pick up a person.
Multiple handicapped tagged vehicles compete for one accessable spot.
Accessible spots have been converted to standard by removing signage and repainting pavement.
Dead vehicles sit under unrepaired parking lot lights, while the vehicles next to them have been broken into.
They keep the entry and the senior area nice. If you explore the reality you will find significant issues with corporate abuse.
It is less than two decades old, but has been allowed to rot.
I welcome new housing to the area, the intersection is a problem as is, as are people in suits with wild promises.