Neighbors worry Lexington town home development could cut into area woodland
A new development planned for downtown Lexington could create 50 new houses and potentially cut into a wooded area surrounding an existing neighborhood.
Connelly Development wants to rezone 9.6 acres at 201 Old Chapin Road, the current location of Lakeland Apartments. The developer is seeking to change the site from “high density residential” – a.k.a. apartments – to a mixed planned unit development that could include commercial space.
The change would allow for the construction of a 50-unit town home development, called “Woodland Townes” in the zoning application, as well as office space fronting on Old Chapin Road.
“Due to unique site constraints, including substantial utility easements and the cumulative impact of existing buffer and setback requirements, strict application of the underlying zoning standards creates practical development limitations,” the application says.
The site includes a major power line easement running through the center of the property, occupying about 100 feet of width, “creating an unavoidable development hardship,” the document says. The power lines and existing setback requirements render the site “unusable” under its current zoning, the application argues.
Separately, Connelly is asking to rezone 0.92 acres at 100 Snelgrove Road, located on the same corner of Old Chapin, from “limited commercial” to “high density residential” so it can be included in the same development.
The site is about a block north of several commercial developments at the intersection with Columbia Avenue and West Main Street.
The new development would replace the 30-unit Lakeland Apartments — which the application describes as “deteriorated” — plus the former Jaycee Hut which sits vacant on Snelgrove Road. Those buildings would be replaced by the new development, which will include an access point on Old Chapin and internal, privately-owned roads serving the town homes.
The application would allow for 5.3 housing units per acre, with plans for 33 two-bedroom town homes and 17 three-bedroom town homes. Also included is a 3,000-square-foot commercial space with 10 parking spaces and possible expansion space that could allow the building to double in size.
The application notes that the site was previously approved for a larger, but never built, construction of 104 residential units and 16 garage structures. The current plans do not include any garage structures for the residences.
About half the site is currently a wooded area that backs up to several homes on Rama Lane. That’s raised concerns among neighbors who have received notices of planned future work adjoining their properties.
“We have many kids who play in those woods and so much wildlife!” says one post in a community Facebook group. “I’m all for them redoing the Lakeland apartments, just don’t cut all the wood down in the process.”
Lexington’s zoning ordinance would still require a 100-foot buffer and 150-foot setback from the neighborhood on Rama Lane, Connelly’s application notes.
“These measures directly implement the Comprehensive Plan’s objectives related to neighborhood protection, compatibility, and context-sensitive growth,” the application reads.
The proposal is scheduled to come before the Lexington Planning Commission for consideration on Wednesday, March 18.
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