Kendal at Oberlin looks to expand

During Monday night's Oberlin City Council meeting, Oberlin officials voted to approve the first reading of an amendment to the zoning map, changing a collection of properties on the north side of the city from single family to a planned development overlay district. The potential change — which would convert approximately 10 acres of land — follows a proposal from Kendal at Oberlin to rezone the parcels to make way for a possible expansion of the retirement community. "It's important, the zoning has to change before anything can happen," said Oberlin Council President Eboni Johnson. "The rezoning allows something to happen." According to documents submitted to Oberlin City Council, Kendal at Oberlin looks to expand its campus by a possible addition of more than 100 living units for senior residents. "In order for anything to happen, we've got to have some different zoning," said Ann O'Malley, CFO of Kendal at Oberlin. The expansion of Kendal at Oberlin is expected to result in additional senior housing, along with common areas, green space and support facilities, according to a description of the planned development submitted to Council members.In the area north of Maple Street and west of the existing Kendal at Oberlin campus, the retirement community looks to create as many as 24 independent living units for senior residents. The building type, as detailed in documents supplied to the Oberlin City Council, could include one-story cottages along with up to three-story tall apartment buildings. Those buildings are planned to include a combination one and two-bedroom units, according to the development details. To the south of Maple Street, between North Main and North Pleasant streets, Kendal at Oberlin has proposed 126 independent living units to be built for senior residents. Similar to the space north of Maple Street, this plot could include apartment buildings as tall as three stories in height, according to Kendal at Oberlin's development plans. "We definitely know that senior housing is a gap," O'Malley said, adding that Oberlin City Council has taken an interest in expanding multiple types of affordable housing. O'Malley and Oberlin officials acknowledged that the details of the possible future expansion are still up for debate. In a public hearing held just prior to Monday night's City Council meeting, multiple residents voiced concerns of the potential future development. "It's very discouraging to hear Kendal may be allowed to build a three-story tall, 126-unit building on what is now an empty, open green space that the neighborhood uses," said John Bevan, a local resident. "We understand it's their property. We understand that they're nice enough to let us use it." However, Bevan said he and other residents addressed Kendal at Oberlin, as well as City Council, with a "compromise." "We collectively tried to think of what we could offer as a compromise," Bevan said. "That's what we asked Council to consider, and it didn't feel like they considered it." Specifically, residents in attendance pointed to concerns of the additional living quarters creating increased traffic flow and volume, as well as a difference in structural appearance compared to the existing Kendal at Oberlin campus. Still, multiple Oberlin officials said Monday night that the action taken was only the first read, that it was only regarding the zoning and that members of the public would still have opportunities to comment on the future plans. "There's lots of opportunity for changes and discussion and public input and all that before it becomes final," Johnson said. Before Oberlin City Council's vote Monday night, the city's planning commission voted unanimously to recommend the proposed rezoning be approved. Per the Oberlin Planning Commission's report on Kendal at Oberlin's application, the suspension of the "traditional zoning provisions" could result in benefits for the area. The report states that the retirement community's proposal "is consistent with the vision and goals outlined in the 2024 City of Oberlin Comprehensive Plan. The expansion of the diversity and affordability of housing in Oberlin is among the primary goals of this guiding document." However, if Kendal at Oberlin follows through on its plans to develop both areas west of the existing campus, two single family homes just south of Maple Street will need to be demolished, according to the report by the Oberlin Planning Commission. According to the Lorain County Auditor's office, Kendal at Oberlin currently owns the parcels of land set to be developed — the sales of several parcels dating back to the mid-2000s. Considering the entire potential expansion — regardless of what the final design may be — Johnson said it was "important to have different types of housing available at different price points for people who want to live here, for people who want to stay here." Contact Garrett Looker at glooker@chroniclet.com.