The City Council just voted at tonight’s meeting to approve the consolidation of lots at 10th and Western Blvd. This is a land use case, and it clears a preliminary step for Austin-based LV Collective, which has proposed a mixed-use housing development.

(Photo: 10th and Western Blvd/The Corvallis Inquirer)

The decision basically preps the property for updated development applications. It is a big deal, but this decision is only a small preliminary step. It allows the parcels to be consolidated, with zoning and more development reviews still to come.

Before the vote, Councilor Charlyn Ellis asked staff to address neighborhood concerns.

“One of the concerns that has been raised in some of the information from the neighborhood is that there are dead-end streets, and that interferes with the traffic flow,” Ellis said.

Ellis is talking about 10th Street and how it dead-ends on the western side of the proposed development. The concept rendering from LV Collective does show a parking access curb cut on the street. A very fair concern to raise, especially for the five homeowners directly across from that parking entrance.

Planning staff explained that the consolidation itself does not trigger the traffic review required for development.

“A partition that consolidates lots is not, by code, considered development,” the staff planner told council. “That evaluation will be made at a subsequent stage with the actual development of the site.”

“Subsequent stage” most likely means the next elected city council.

Council then unanimously adopted the findings, conclusions, and conditions of approval presented in an October 27th memorandum from the community development director.

Monday’s approval now settles the lot-consolidation question, while leaving the rezoning, proposed development, and traffic impacts for subsequent review.

The future skyline of Corvallis will change. And these new developments will create changes within the city.

You can report on a final approval or publish a rendering of the finished design, but the real story takes shape along the way. Supporters of growth, concerns from residents who live nearby, the application decisions, the appeals, and how our city government operates in its steps to approve or deny a project of this scope.

As previously reported, across the comparable student housing projects listed by LV Collective, the average design is about 7.5 stories tall, with about 230 units.

More to come.

This article was written by Jesse Grant, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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(Photo: 10th and Western Blvd/The Corvallis Inquirer)

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City Council Approves 10th & Western Lot…