WICHITA — Developers Mike Brand and Steve Clark are one step closer to being able to build their Bennington Place executive apartments near the southeast corner of 21st and Maize.
The planning commission on Thursday voted 11 to 2 in favor of allowing the 130-unit complex.
There were what one person calls a “boatload” of protesters attending, and there was a petition against the apartments with more than 100 signatures.
Now, a vote goes to a District Advisory Board Nov. 7. The earliest it’s likely to then go to City Council for a final vote would be Dec. 6.
City zoning codes are ranked from least intensive to most intensive.
Commercial uses are ranked at a higher level — meaning they create more traffic, among other things — than residential uses.
Brand’s property is already zoned limited commercial, so planners would view multifamily zoning — which he’s seeking — as less intensive.
As Brand told Have You Heard? earlier this week, he’s already tried to do something commercial there with no success.
“Over the years, I just haven’t gotten the right person in there,” he said. “There’s not a lot of commercial going on right now.”
Which is why he said he thought of apartments.
“It’s a great location for apartments.”