CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After approving the ground lease of the Frosty Morn redevelopment for affordable senior housing, the proposed Planned Unit Development (PUD) rezone request went before the City Council on Tuesday in a special called meeting, where they approved it 11-1.
This comes after the Regional Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the PUD rezone on Tuesday.
New details and renderings shared for Frosty Morn
According to city documents, the City of Clarksville’s proposed plan is for the affordable senior housing development, at 625 Frosty Morn Drive to be a four-story, approximately 65,000-square-foot building.
There would be 49 one-bedroom apartment units and 16 two-bedroom apartment units. These units would be expected to be designed to meet modern accessibility, safety and energy efficient standards.
Additional key site plan elements include a landscaped courtyard with seating and recreation areas, a community garden, a dog/pet park for resident use, as well as new sidewalks coordinated with the future Clarksville Trail extension.
Community rooms, which includes multipurpose spaces, and office space for onsite management and service partners would also be expected as part of the building program, according to city documents.
| PREVIOUSLY: City Council OKs first reading of Frosty Morn redevelopment for affordable senior housing
PUD rezone approved during first reading, environmental process established
When the ground lease was first proposed, several members of the City Council raised concerns about possible environmental issues at the Frosty Morn site given the area’s industrial history.
Clarksville Neighborhood and Community Services Director Michelle Austin said on Wednesday she addressed the environmental issues with each councilperson prior to the special called meeting. “I didn’t receive any additional request for information, so I assume that those questions were satisfied,” she said.
Shannon Tutor with SOCAYR, who the City of Clarksville entered into a long-term lease agreement with for the project, spoke on the process of addressing any environmental concerns.
Tutor said that their investors and lenders will not close without a phase one study completed, as well as a Geotech report. He said they will move forward based off findings of the phase one study, which may include incorporating a second phase study as well. “Which goes even deeper in soil sampling,” he said.
“Then we would have to show our investors and lenders the mitigation steps to eliminate any of those concerns. This is stuff we’re used to be doing; it’s a standard process for us.”
Application submitted to THDA, estimated timeline of project
Tutor confirmed that they have submitted their application to the Tennessee Housing Development Agency for the tax credits that would help fund the project. “Those tax credits allow us to keep it affordable; they put equity into the project so that we get a mortgage that we can afford to pay with those lower rents,” he said.
“If THDA keeps (up) with their typical schedule, we would hear something from them in late August or early September. We had a really good application, it scores very well, so we hope to get funded and then we would get everything in place to move to a financial closing and get started on construction.”
Tutor said that it typically takes around a year to get the process completed.
When asked about other projects that SOCAYR has headed or been a part of in Tennessee, Tutor said that list includes projects in Ashland City, Smyrna, Dickson and Columbia.
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How rent will be determined for affordable housing
Councilperson Travis Holleman asked how the affordable rent prices are determined.
Tutor said that there are two ways rent is decided. “Through the restricted rent through tax credit projects, HUD sets the rent limits, and the income limits every year,” he said. “They’re due in April, but they are a little late this year, so they come out around May 1. They come up with those numbers through the American Census Survey that is done every year.
“It’s usually three years of data on citizens in the community, saying this is the median income, and then on a tax credit project, the typical rent and income limits is set at 60%. So, they’ll take 100% of the area median income … then come up with this number that is 60% of the area median income. That becomes the income limit for what someone can make to qualify to live there. The rent calculation is about 30% of that.”
Tutor said the data comes from the local area and not nationally, which has made it tough for projects like this in Clarksville to be financially feasible. “Clarksville is in a MSA where they tie Clarksville, Hopkinsville and Cadiz together. So, it’s the average of all three,” he said. “It actually helps Cadiz, because you’re driving the numbers up from Clarksville. At the same time, it pulls down the average number in Clarksville based off the Cadiz income.”
The City Council approved the first reading of the PUD rezone request 11-1, with Councilperson Carlos Peters voting no.
Community member questions project location
The lone member of the community to speak out against the request on Wednesday was Lois Greider, who said she isn’t against the effort; however, she does have concerns about the location.
“I know we need the housing, and I know everybody has good intentions, I just don’t think this particular area is the most beneficial,” Greider said.
What needs to be addressed as part of PUD request
On Tuesday, RPC Deputy Director John Spainhoward Jr. said that as part of the application process, a PUD preapplication conference took place on March 19, which is where departments came together to discuss what needs are to be addressed at the Frosty Morn site.
The Street Department indicated that drainage and water quality plans may be required, and improvements to the storm sewer on Red River may be required as well.
Spainhoward said as a reminder, with all PUD applications, if the Clarksville City Council approves it, like they did on Wednesday, the Regional Planning Commission will have an additional opportunity to review a final PUD plan. “I can tell you that the comments that are referenced will be addressed at that point in time,” Spainhoward said.
Plans consistent with Comprehensive Plan
The future land use designation of the site has been labeled as mixed-use, and Spainhoward said both the overall plan, as well as the proposed preliminary concept of the project, are consistent with the goals and objectives of the adopted Clarksville-Montgomery County Comprehensive Plan.
The RPC staff recommended approval for the proposed PUD rezone going into the commission meeting, and after hearing two people speak in favor of the rezone, while having none speak out against, the Regional Planning Commission went on to unanimously recommend approval of the city request.
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