Middle Housing

2,434 Views | 12 Replies | Last: 10 mo ago by George Costanza
threecatcorner
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So, is there a reason College Station is suddenly cool with "shared housing" in certain areas that they want to rezone to "middle housing"? They say that shared housing (allowing more than four unrelated people) and middle housing (broad term that includes single family homes, duplexes, multiplexes, townhomes, and Agshacks, although to be fair the "Agshacks" could already be built because for some reason they've been considering them technically "single family housing" even though they're clearly not intended to be any such thing) are two separate things and you have to apply specifically for shared housing approval on a specific place (but if it's got all the features of an Agshack, it qualifies).

https://www.kbtx.com/2023/05/24/college-station-send-over-2000-letters-notifying-residents-potential-rezoning/ says in the headline that the city is sending out notifications to residents, but the actual article says homeowners (as in just the property owners, not the renters who reside in many of the affected areas).

Thoughts?

I think this will likely result in any time a place is sold that's zoned that way, there will be even more Agshacks and they won't even have to pretend they have the right number of occupants to meet the code because it'll be easy for those places to get shared housing approval. I'm picturing lots of perfectly good homes (single-story houses and duplexes) being knocked down and replaced with multistory stealth dorms.

https://www.kbtx.com/2023/05/24/resident-push-back-middle-housing-that-allows-more-than-four/ has some residents/homeowners pointing out problems with the city's plan.

Meetings where people can talk/complain are set for June (2 virtual, 1 in person). I'm guessing now that's what the rezoning sign by Bee Creek with the giant QR code is referencing.
happyinBCS
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I think it is ridiculous, another attempt by the arrogant COCS to get more tax revenue and destroy established neighborhoods.
BiochemAg97
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AG
Where are they planning to zone "middle housing"? I didn't see that anywhere in the article.

This is a college community. CoCS attempts to shut college students out of housing has been amusing. This appears to be an interesting reversal, but in the last round of attempting to let some neighborhoods ban certain housing, they said they were going to allow that in other areas.

If you want to protect the historic communities from college students, then you have to allow the college students to live somewhere else. But no matter how many ways you try to limit college student housing, if it makes money it will still happen.
CS78
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Cant help but feel like your fight was lost years ago.
b0ridi
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BiochemAg97 said:

Where are they planning to zone "middle housing"? I didn't see that anywhere in the article.

This is a college community. CoCS attempts to shut college students out of housing has been amusing. This appears to be an interesting reversal, but in the last round of attempting to let some neighborhoods ban certain housing, they said they were going to allow that in other areas.

If you want to protect the historic communities from college students, then you have to allow the college students to live somewhere else. But no matter how many ways you try to limit college student housing, if it makes money it will still happen.
https://mh-cstx.hub.arcgis.com/pages/current-phase
PS3D
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As far as Bee Creek area goes, they could easily tear down some of the obsolete apartment complexes for newer, denser development, which would take some of the pressure off the existing housing market without upsetting "established" neighborhoods.
threecatcorner
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PS3D said:

they could easily tear down some of the obsolete apartment complexes



Replacing old rundown complexes with "middle housing" might make sense, but I didn't see anything like that on their maps. It looked like everywhere they're suggesting rezoning is currently duplexes, mixture of single family houses and duplexes, and I think there was one that was slightly different (maybe said suburban or something). I didn't notice anything that seemed to currently be apartment complexes. I think the owners could ask for those to be rezoned, but those aren't the ones where the city's trying to initiate this change.

(edited to fix typo and to fix stupid autocorrect)
momtaxi
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COCS doesn't care in any shape or form about the average person that lives here or historical neighborhoods. They only care about the almighty tax dollar. That's why agshacks, apts, ECT. Are going up in every little lot that they can barely fit in. Housing prices and rent are outrageous, you would think they might do something to help the situation but they act like they are proud of it.
EBrazosAg
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AG
So, my question is : does Middle Housing have to accommodate Elves, Trolls , Orcs, Dwarves, Hobbits, ad Ents as well as humans?
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
maroon barchetta
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Ents don't live in houses.

Most houses are made of wood. Ents don't like that.
Hornbeck
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Dwarves don't like to live above ground. Hobbits, either.
maroon barchetta
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Dwarves might live in the steam tunnels!!!
George Costanza
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"COCS doesn't care in any shape or form about the average person that lives here or historical neighborhoods. They only care about the almighty tax dollar. That's why agshacks, apts, ECT. Are going up in every little lot that they can barely fit in. Housing prices and rent are outrageous, you would think they might do something to help the situation but they act like they are proud of it."

What should the city council do AND how will it help lower housing prices and rents while ALSO stop the agshacks and apartments you dislike?
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