Concerns about traffic, overcrowding and impact on the neighborhood's historic character dominated discussion at a Sept. 3 Planning Commission meeting about a 75-unit apartment building now being planned for the lot right next to the historic Germantown Town Hall.

While the project conforms to current city zoning and does not need any variances, the size of the project at 5932-42 Germantown Ave. triggered a Civic Design Review process, during which residents get a chance to have their say. West Central Germantown Neighbors (WCGN), which acted as the coordinating Registered Community Organization, had a vote at the hearing and voiced several objections.

"We realize that development is going to happen and needs to happen, so we are not against additional developments," said Suzanne Ponsen, president of WCGN. "However, when each development project comes to us, we look at it carefully, and we consider the pros and cons of certain features."

As currently planned, the would include commercial space on the first floor facing Germantown Avenue and a mix of 21 two-bedroom, 44 one-bedroom and 10 studio units. Plans call for 38 parking spaces for residents and two commercial spaces.

Many neighbors and Councilwoman Cindy Bass raised concerns over the project's density. 

WCGN’s first concern is the alleyway entrance to the building's parking lot, which starts at Germantown Avenue and runs between the Germantown Town Hall and the proposed project. It is quite narrow and is currently used by the 14th Police District as the main exit from the station parking lot. 

The alleyway is only wide enough for one car, and the proposed project calls for two-way traffic.

“It's wide enough for one car, and there's some ambiguity about which way you're allowed to go,” CDR Chair Daniel Garofalo said. “Google Maps shows a ‘do not enter the parking lot’ sign at the south end of it, but that reinforces the ambiguity and the challenges of that driveway.” 

The second issue raised by WCGN was the building’s setback from the neighboring properties on Harvey Street. Residents on that street said they thought it would be too close to their houses.

Because of the zoning, the developers are not required to include a setback from those properties. 

“They (the developers) did agree to move it back about six feet, which we acknowledged in the letter,” Ponsen told the Local. “We think it should be more than that, but we acknowledged at least that they were giving in some ways.” 

The third concern raised by WCGN was affordable housing. In the letter to the Planning Commission, WCGN stated that the “community strongly feels the need for affordable housing options within this development and others in Germantown.” 

The project currently has no plan to include affordable housing. Members of the CDR committee also suggested that some units be combined into larger units with more rooms to increase the availability for families and reduce the total number of units. Despite the suggestion, committee members were pleased with the number of two-bedroom units, with less focus on studio apartments. 

The fourth and final issue raised by WCGN was the look of the facade and the choice of materials. A current rendering shows the first three floors of the building with a beige brick on the side facing Germantown Avenue. The rest of the building’s facade would use a greenish metal siding that WCGN and some other residents feel doesn’t match the historic context of the surrounding properties. 

WCGN suggested that the brick facade extend up the building and along the sides, which they and other community members feel would better match the surrounding buildings.

“You have Town Hall, you have a number of historic buildings, and it's just an important location,” Oscar Beisert, a speaker at the hearing, said “The design element here is really important, and I hope that the property owner will upgrade the design.” 

The original building was built in 1906 by Charles Engle Chipley after the old Engle House was moved to the rear of the lot. In addition to their four main requests, WCGN asks that the 1906 cornerstone be carefully removed and preserved along with its contents and any other historically significant artifacts found during construction. 

At the end of the hearing, the Committee voted to continue the CDR process, with their main concern being the alleyway driveway and how that would impact police response. Approval from the CDR is not required for the project to continue, however, developers are encouraged to work with the committee and the community on these types of projects. 

Devon Beverly, an attorney representing the developers, says that they have been communicating with the 14th Police District on the issue.