Council Will Move Ahead on Overlay District

An overlay district that can pave the way for construction of a 596-bed apartment complex on South Lincoln Street cleared a second hurdle Wednesday by gaining tentative approval from Kent City Council.

Council members voted unanimously to move forward with to apply to the apartment project proposed by Columbus developer Edwards Communities Development Co.

just the night before on Tuesday.

However, council couldn't give final approve to the overlay district Wednesday. The issue is a proposed change to the city's zoning code, and the city must advertise a public hearing on the issue before final action can be taken. Based on council's schedule, that public hearing could take place in May.

An overlay district, in general, is a means to apply specific guidelines to an area within a set zoning district without actually changing the zoning classification. The overlay district creates the conceptual framework for a new zoning designation that would allow the Edwards Communities Development Co. to proceed with .

The overlay district stemmed from the fact Edwards Communities asked for about 10 acres on South Lincoln Street to be rezoned from R-3 zoning to R-4 zoning. The R-3 zoning designation allows up to eight residential units per acre, while the proposed R-4 zoning would allow a maximum 36 units per acre.

Gary Locke, Kent's Community Development Department director, said the proposed overlay district would allow about 10 units, or a max 40 bedrooms, per acre.

Council's action Wednesday came with no comment on the issue from its members.

And though a number of residents near the proposed apartment complex site attended the meeting, only one spoke.

“Many of us in the neighborhood in the surrounding area are still opposed to the higher density that the overlay district will allow,” High Street resident Larry Andrews said.