02/09/1976 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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. Councilman Murray requested that the Council at the first convenient time possible reinstate the word "financial" in the code as it applies to interest of Council members in issues coming before the Council. Councilman Williams hoped too the code would be changed to state "financial interest" because of what he called a "realm of conflict of interest" that is not financial. There were no objections, and the Chair directed starr to prepare a code amendment to the presented at a committee-of-the-whole meeting that would add the word "financial" in reference to in- terest in issues coming before the Council for consideration. Councilman Murray said he would abstain from the discussion and the vote on this zone change request. Public hearing was opened. Michael Farthing, attorney, introduced the applicant, Dr. Cedric Hayden. Dr. Hayden distributed handouts to Council members and reviewed history of the site for which rezoning was requested to permit opening of a dental clinic. He proposed use of the existing building on the lot plus an addition of 1150 square feet, which he said would leave ample space on ,the property for required parking. He presented slides of the property and described the non- conforming use previously occupying it. Most of the people in the neighborhood were in favor of location of a clinic on that site, he said, and a petition, drafted by the planning department and circulated after the possibility of con- fusion arose on initial circulation, resulted in 577 signatures in favor of the clinic at that site. e Dr. Hayden continued by reading planning staff notes covering this and a similar zone change requested for property at 11th and Jackson, saying the Planning Com- mission had recommended a code amendment that would permit doctors and dentists to locate in neighborhood areas where needed. He urged the Council to act on that recommendation. To demonstrate need for the proposed facility, he said there were only six dentists out of 150 in the area who were located on the west side. He showed a pinboard to illustrate their locations. Further, he referred to Council action in 1962, reversing a Planning Commission recommenda- tion, wherein a dental clinic was permitted at 11th and Polk. Although that clinic was not built, he said, the need remains and he was prepared to open one at that location. He described the proposed facility - an extremely small one-man dental office to meet neighborhood needs, attracting probably a maximum of one to three cars an hour. He felt traffic generated would be far less than that from a neighborhood grocery and an insiginficant percentage of the thousands passing that intersection every day. With regard to precedent, Dr. Hayden thought each zoning request should be considered on its own merit. In this instance, the same situation would apply as in the previous Council approval - the same property, the same family owner- ship, same type of business, same building. He noted that even though the West- side Quality Project opposed the rezoning, there were many who did wish a dental office in the area, signing the petition in favor if it was permitted under .conditional use procedure rather than a zone change. Dr. Hayden said that in view of all these points, the proposed clinic on this lot was the best possible use of the land and would enhance the neighborhood. He urged approval. - Speaking in ,favor of the zone change request were Chuck Buchholz, 2144 Grant Street; Wanda Wright, 742 West 10th Avenue; and Carl J. Stults, 1680 West 11th Avenue. They thought the proposed clinic operated by Dr. Hayden would be an asset to the neighborhood. Also, the facility would be within walking distance for a number of people. fo7 2/9/76 - 5