Rooming House Request for University Oaks Delayed

A status by the owner of the University Oaks apartment complex has been delayed for at least two weeks.

The Kent Planning Commission voted Tuesday to table their decision on the request, which would change the zoning status of the Horning Road complex.

The rooming house status would allow the developers to rent all three bedrooms in their three bedroom units to unrelated tenants. As it stands, the property's existing R-4 zoning status — like all residential properties in the city — does not permit renting to more than two unrelated tenants per unit.

Anderson Neigbors, the chief operating officer of Alabama-based Capstone Real Estate Investments, which owns the property, said the status is necessary in order to rent all three bedrooms in the 56, three-bedroom units at the complex.

"I think if student housing is to be developed or redeveloped in Kent, it makes sense for it to be within walking distance," Neighbors said. "University Oaks is proximate to existing student housing both on and off campus. I think it makes sense."

Initially, Capstone's request of the planning commission included approval of both the zoning change and the site plan for the complex, which is being converted from the former Silver Oaks Place single-family housing into student apartments. But during the meeting Neighbors said he would prefer a vote only on the rooming house request, as Capstone will return to the commission in two weeks for consideration of plans to build parking lots adjacent to and across from the complex on Horning Road.

But several members of the commission said they couldn't vote on the site plan for just the complex because it depends on the parking lots, which would have been voted on as a separate site plan in two weeks.

As for the rooming house request, commission member Peter Paino said he simply couldn't vote to grant the request because he didn't believe Capstone met all the requirements established in city ordinances for rooming houses.

Specifically, Paino pointed to the fact Capstone has proposed building 540 parking spaces when city code requires 620 parking spaces to accomodate the 520 residents plus 130 visitor spaces.

Capstone also plans to ask the Kent Board of Zoning Appeals for a variance on June 18 from the need to have 620 parking spaces.

"I don’t feel comfortable granting something if you don’t meet all the requirements, even if it might happen two weeks from now," Paino told Neighbors.

Ultimately, commission member Melissa Long suggested the commission wait until after the zoning board vote and to get the site plans for the entire complex and the additional parking lots before voting.

members Tracy Wallach and Robin Turner, both of whom supported the seniors evicted by Capstone, urged the commission to wait or simply deny the rooming house request.

Wallach said the commission should not grant the request.

"When Capstone first came to Kent State they knew the zoning for the property they purchased ... and the way that they treated the residents at the time was not very sensitive," Wallach said. "We’re getting pretty built out around town and I think it’s getting pretty saturated. This might over saturate the market."

Turner suggested the commission take the time to review housing in Kent before making their decision on Capstone's rooming house request.

"Recently it was noted that the city manager had indicated there was perhaps regarding, as Tracy put it, the saturation of student housing, how that’s going to impact our community," Turner said. "I think we have an opportunity now to take that time and reflect on what the implications will be to have this population continuing to grow."

The commission will consider the request on June 19.