Owensville aldermen on Oct. 17 unanimously approved a zoning change by ordinance which will allow Christopher Dempsey to eventually build at least one, potentially three, apartment buildings on land currently occupied by dilapidated houses and older model mobile homes.

Following a 5-minute advertised public hearing, Dempsey’s Dempsey Investments, LLC, was granted the zoning change from C-2 (Commercial) to R-2 (Multifamily Residential) giving him the go-ahead to begin planning for what he called “Phase 1” of his proposal to eventually construct three separate apartment buildings directly behind a Highway 28 business plaza and bordered by a block of South Third and South Fourth on the east and west respectively and West Washington Avenue to the north.

Aldermen later in the 35-minute meeting unanimously approved Ordinance No. 1401 on three reads by title and a roll call voice vote.

Dempsey, who fielded several questions from aldermen, said he plans to demolish two vacant wood-frame homes along the north side of the site along West Washington to clear ground for the first apartment building he plans for the site in the first phase. Two mobile homes in that section are scheduled to be removed. Dempsey told aldermen there were eight or nine uninhabited mobile homes across the trailer park which is grand-fathered in as it relates to city zoning but is currently considered to be of “non-conforming use” within codes.  

Dempsey plans to eventually remove all of the trailer units from his land. One, which he does not own, was condemned by the city, he told aldermen. Another, which is owned privately, would be removed by its owner. He will either sell or,  have removed, the trailers he owns. He told aldermen several had been remodeled and upgraded.

When he begins Phase 2 of his project, he said all trailers in the park will have been removed. Current renters of mobile homes he owns would move into the new building if they wish.

He told city officials he was ready to move forward with the project and his bank was aware of his intent.

He said he was ready to be “getting past this (stage of the process) and get drawings,”
 while adding, “they’ll costs a fortune.”

He said he “has a guy” who was ready to begin demolition of the two houses and has paid for the permits to do so, already. Removal of the houses includes efforts to reclaim woodwork and old timbers.

He answered he has plans for concrete parking spaces with the proposed apartment buildings.

He was prepared for installation of lighting fixtures for the parking areas. He also hoped to incorporate some laundry hook-ups in his larger apartment. He expected to construct them with siding exteriors. Upstairs units were expected to have a small deck attached.

As the city’s clerk noted, he will need to prepare and have approved a new plat for the project area. The public works director said city water access to the site will come in off West Washington at South Third. There is also a water main off of Fourth Street behind the pizza restaurant, Dempsey was told.

Two residents living within 185 feet of the site who were notified by certified mail of the meeting by the city also addressed the hearing.

One property owner asked why she was notified in the first place. It’s part of the process she was told. She asked if Dempsey’s project affected her zoning and was assured it did not.

The other asked if ample parking was going to be available for the apartment residents. She was assured parking was being incorporated into the layout around each of the three buildings.

Dempsey presented some preliminary drawings of the first building which indicated he is planning to have eight two-level apartments with two bedrooms and a bath-and-a-half layout on one side of the building 10 studio units on the lower level of the other side.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission previously gave its authorization to move forward with the rezoning request and send it to the Board of Aldermen for the public hearing.