Neighbors and owner to discuss new Bell Street plans

Architect Mike Jantsch and property owner Qamar Khan presented a new plan for a “multi-family house” they’d like to build in Volker at a meeting last week.

The owner of a controversial piece of property in the Volker neighborhood has agreed to meet with a group of residents.  Qamar Khan, owner of the now-vacant lot at 3616 Bell Street, met last week with neighbors who have protested against his plan to build a “multi-family house” on the property.

After a house was razed on the site last year, neighbors protested against plans to build a house with eight living units on the site, saying it was out of keeping with the character of the neighborhood. The city eventually denied the building permit for the project, giving the owner a list of requirements to make it fit the zoning code.

Khan and his architect, Mike Jantsch, told about forty neighbors last week they still hope to build the eight-unit building on the site. Khan explained that he originally began looking for property where his daughter, a medical student, could live, and he was told it was zoned for they type of building he proposed.

Some neighbors told Khan they still oppose the eight-unit plan.

“I’ve lived directly across the street for 18 years,” Bill Yeats said. “People are extremely bummed out about this. We’re considering moving.”

Other neighbors told Khan Bell Street is a beautifully-preserved area and that the proposed house doesn’t fit into the streetscape. They also expressed concerns about the planned 16 parking spaces and the already-low water pressure on the street.

They asked Khan if he would consider building two or three duplexes rather than one large building on the site.

The owner said he could not say whether or not he would consider such a plan.
“So far, we have only looked at the eight-unit building,” he said, adding that he has not considered the financial implications of another project.

Khan, however, agreed to meet with a small group of neighbors to talk about their concerns.

Previous posts

  • A new plan for Bell street multi-family house
  • City reinstates public hearing for multi-unit housing in neighborhoods
  • Building permit for 3616 Bell denied
  • Volker neighbors continue protests over multi-unit house
  • City’s “multi-unit house” zoning becomes an issue in Volker

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