A commercial development proposal in the Lynwood neighborhood of Brookhaven is going back to the drawing board.
The Brookhaven City Council voted unanimously this week to return the proposal to the planning commission after the developer tried to push through last minute changes.
The plan is to convert 0.675 acres of property zoned C-1 (commercial) and R75 (residential) to NS (neighborhood shopping), allowing a neighborhood-scale commercial development with a restaurant and retail space. The properties are located at 1348 Windsor Parkway, 3147 and 3153 Osborne Road and 1153 Victoria Street.
Brookhaven Planning Commission first heard the plan in December, deferring it to encourage the developer to work with unhappy neighbors.
John Mansour of Stature Properties presented the third revised plan at the April 25 city council meeting, suggesting the conversion of an 1,100-square-foot house for commercial use. The property is currently zoned C-1 (commercial).
It’s an “intentional plan to try to ensure and preserve the residential character of Victoria Street,” said Mansour. “The idea behind this would be to preserve the architectural, residential feel on Victoria Street.”
Plans for a parking lot also changed. Mansour said alternative parking has been discussed with local churches.
“The third plan … was only submitted to staff last Thursday or Friday so we have not had the opportunity to review that third plan to make comments,” said Community Development Director Linda Abaray, adding the plan was not drawn to scale.
Neighbors who spoke against the proposal at the city council meeting drew a correlation between race, Brookhaven history and the plan.
Lynwood was once the neighborhood of a historically disenfranchised Black community that primarily serviced the surrounding white community, said resident Christee Laster, whose home is across the street from the proposed development.
“It’s not lost on us, nor should it be lost on this council, that this commercial parking lot designed to serve as the rest of Brookhaven will fall squarely in between two Black and Brown families on Victoria,” said Laster.
“In fact, each iteration of the developers plan has served as a as a reminder of the historic notion that anything goes in Lynwood as long as it’s good for the rest of Brookhaven. Even the developer’s architect admitted that the plan will look very nice from the Windsor-Osborne side, but everything else will be in the back. Well, my home in historic Lynwood deserves the same due respect given to the homes in historic Brookhaven,” Laster added.
Mansour said numerous changes have been made to address the concerns of the neighborhood.
“It’s difficult to make everyone happy. At the end of the day, we’re trying to have the most viable project that we can,” said Mansour.
