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Developer sees light on look-alike rules
(by Mike Klimko - September 03, 2008)
Developer sees light on look-alike rules
By MIKE KLIMKO
The developer of the Carrington Court subdivision for senior citizens in Solon withdrew a proposal last week to modify the municipal provisions regulating look-alike homes.
Gross Builders decided to comply with the restrictions against the use of similar design features within seven homes of each other, project architect Richard Porter reported last week to the city's planning commission.
As a result, the commission accepted the withdrawal of the proposal by the developers to allow look-alike features three homes apart. The developer would have enforced the proposal with deed restrictions.
Look-alike provisions set by code are enforced by the building department, Planning Department Robert S. Frankland said.
Deed restrictions to enforce the modifications were recommended by Assistant Law Director Blair Melling.
Gross Builders proposed modification of the required number of model homes, spacing and combination of colors, spacing of homes on the same side and opposite sides of the street.
Plans call for about 48 individual homes and three apartment buildings at Carrington Court on Aurora Road (Route 43), between SOM Center Road (Route 91) and Portz Parkway.
"The building code currently requires that no home located within seven homes of any other home can be 'look-alike' in nature," Mr. Frankland said in a report to the commission.
"The code, however, does permit the relaxation of this requirement for senior-housing developments at the discretion of the planning commission, with the potential review by City Council."
Gross Builders proposed a plan that would have been a specific development strategy for Carrington Court and it should be noted that there were only five basic models planned on the site, Mr. Frankland said.
"To this end, the proposed regulation establishes that at least two different model types must separate the repetition of any single model type located on the same side of the street, with an absolute minimum spacing of 115 feet," he said. "And that at least one different model type must separate any repetition of a single model type located on the opposite side of the street, with an absolute minimum spacing of 115 feet."
The architecture and design of home model types and color combinations proposed by Gross Builders were subject to the approval of the commission and City Council, he said.
The only way for Solon to enforce compliance with modified restrictions was with deed restrictions, Mr. Melling said at the previous meeting of the commission. The city could not rely on the Gross Builders sales force to enforce the regulations, he said.
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