I work in Phillips and am aware that there is a
modular home between 28th and 27th Street on
Bloomington Avenue.
The issue in Phillips was not that it was a modular
home, it was the design of the home. The home was
turned sideways with the primary entrance to the home
on the side as opposed to facing the street. A
variance is needed for it to remain like this. The
Fire Department expressed concerns that the distance
between the entrance and the neighboring fence is so
narrow, they question their ability to access the
house in an emergency. Nonetheless, there is a city
policy stating that the primary entrance must face the
street. I can't remember whether the region approved
the variance request or not.
In the Ventura Village region of Phillips, they are
working to bring modular homes into the neighborhood.
In addition, they are working to bring in a modular
manufacturing group in as a business.
The difference here is that Ventura Village developed
a Master Land Use Development Plan for the entire
region. This plan included design elements for nearly
every type of structure planned in the region. When
developers come to Ventura Village they are given the
plan. They are also told that if they agree to
develop according to the plan, they will receive
regional support. If they choose not to, they will
not receive a recommendation from Ventura Village.
Since the completion of the plan, there have been
several projects approved with developers agreeing to
develop in accordance with the Ventura Village Master
Plan. Some of the developers are non-profits, and
some are for-profit.
The other three regions of Phillips are also working
to develop Master Land Use Development Plans for their
regions in addition to the Elliot Park,Whittier,
Stevens Square and Loring Park neighborhoods. This
will give all of them a very strong tool in focusing
NRP Phase II spending and will be a good instrument to
leverage additional investment into these
neighborhoods.
The point of this long story is that if neighborhoods
take control of their development opportunities in a
well constructed cohesive plan that has full
neighborhood buy in, then it gives potential
developers a much better focus in proposing
development projects, including modular houses.
Modular homes can be produced with any variety of
design elements. I have seen some really nice ones.
I have also seen really bad ones. If a neighborhood
can hand a developer design guidelines, most of them
will be happy to adhere to it.
Barb Lickness
Whittier
Ward 6
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