House on commercial 7th Street was put off after the oak that bought five homes came back

The same April 21 hearing took up a house on commercial land at 106 7th Street — the leftover lot whose 38-inch oak was the 2019 bargain that already let five surrounding commercial lots become houses. Colour Homes, for HVG Properties LLC, asked for the same special OK.

Five houses already came off that commercial map through the tree deal. This is the sixth ask: another residence where the lot is still zoned for business. Staff recommended yes, with three arborist check-ins and a promise to follow the August 7, 2019 tree deal. Eric Kenney said the oak sits about 55 to 59 feet from the rear line and the submitted house depth would run through the tree. William Jones said two petitions carried nearly 500 signatures to keep the tree and that the new owner bought the lot knowing the deal.

Builder Jason Stancil said he would not take the job to kill the oak. Kenney said if it were him he would table it and let them redesign under the city's flexible-setback rule — a second favor, a closer house, sold as saving the oak. The motion to park the request for a later amended plan passed with no opposition.

Another night spent on how to fit a house onto the commercial lot that was supposed to stay the oak.