Riverbank City Coucilmembers say they want affordable housing and like infill projects.
But on Monday night, they postponed approval of a condominium project for redesign mainly because they felt there were too many units on too small a space.
The applicant, Scott Mulvey of Better Building Development, is seeking a tentative map to place 19 attached condominium units of about 1,000 square feet each on a 51,000 square foot parcel at 6246 Seventh Street.
Sandra Benitez, who was named vice mayor that night, said she would accept 10 units at the most in that amount of space.
"It's a good use for infill. We said we want it," said Councilmember Virginia Madueno. "But this particular parcel is right up against the tracks. The architecture is attractive but it needs to be scaled back to be fair to current residents."
Neighbor Barbara Krager said her main concern is retaining a planned eight-foot high concrete wall between her property and the nearest five units of the project. She fears the problems of noisy parties, drug and alcohol use, criminal activities and falling property values sometimes associated with rental properties.
Community Development Director J. D. Hightower, however, said the project was approved some years ago for 26 units, only five units now will be rented and the others sold at market value. The city needs infill projects and his department has tried very hard to produce a well-planned development.
In another issue, Krager complained a fire that started among weeds on this lot burned down her house last July and it has taken her a year to rebuild. She asked who is responsible for carrying out weed abatement measures and said she hopes this does not happen again.
But on Monday night, they postponed approval of a condominium project for redesign mainly because they felt there were too many units on too small a space.
The applicant, Scott Mulvey of Better Building Development, is seeking a tentative map to place 19 attached condominium units of about 1,000 square feet each on a 51,000 square foot parcel at 6246 Seventh Street.
Sandra Benitez, who was named vice mayor that night, said she would accept 10 units at the most in that amount of space.
"It's a good use for infill. We said we want it," said Councilmember Virginia Madueno. "But this particular parcel is right up against the tracks. The architecture is attractive but it needs to be scaled back to be fair to current residents."
Neighbor Barbara Krager said her main concern is retaining a planned eight-foot high concrete wall between her property and the nearest five units of the project. She fears the problems of noisy parties, drug and alcohol use, criminal activities and falling property values sometimes associated with rental properties.
Community Development Director J. D. Hightower, however, said the project was approved some years ago for 26 units, only five units now will be rented and the others sold at market value. The city needs infill projects and his department has tried very hard to produce a well-planned development.
In another issue, Krager complained a fire that started among weeds on this lot burned down her house last July and it has taken her a year to rebuild. She asked who is responsible for carrying out weed abatement measures and said she hopes this does not happen again.
