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Planning and Zoning Commission <br />February 4, 2008 <br />Page 6 <br />Beverly Yates, 1815 Majestic Drive, stated that she and her husband <br />have recently put in a nearby subdivision with 12 single family homes <br />valued from $80,000 to $300,000. She said she can't see how this will <br />improve the value of those homes. <br />Chairman Hayter asked other audience members to stand who were <br />here in opposition of the request, and approximately 15 individuals <br />stood. <br />The following representatives of the petitioner were permitted to address <br />the citizens' concerns: <br />Eileen Manes, BETCO, stated that the City's engineering department <br />advised them they would be connecting utilities to property north of <br />theirs. She stated that their number one goal is home-buyer training <br />and they teach tenants credit management so they can ultimately <br />become home buyers. She stated that, on 12 acres, someone could <br />easily develop 80 single family homes, and those would create the <br />same problems as this project. She said BETCO will reduce the <br />drainage problems because they will fill in the holes on the property. <br />She stated they will attempt not to build any two-story buildings if <br />possible; however, if they build all single-story, those buildings will <br />have to be built on more of the lot than is currently planned. She <br />stated that Paris has a healthy market for affordable housing, and the <br />people who will live in these are people who already live in Paris, so <br />there will be no increase in the total number of school buses or police <br />needed. <br />Chad Stephens, owner, stated that the FEMA map shows the houses <br />in this area were built in a flood plain, and the addition of the paving <br />will allow them to direct the water's flow. He said he's been a real <br />estate appraiser for 17 years, and he seeing nothing that will cause a <br />reduction in property values. He said that this zoning is the highest <br />and best use for this tract. There are no other large tracts like this in <br />the city. He stated that there is a privacy issue anywhere you live <br />because neighbors everywhere can see into neighbors yards. He <br />stated that the $8 million investment would help offset the cost of <br />infrastructure improvements. <br />The public hearing was declared closed. <br />