More Apartments Coming to Hamilton

Monday evening the Hamilton City Council approved a rezoning request that will bring new apartments to the city.

The rezoning request, from R-1 residential to Commercial, impacted an area between Copeland Lane and Fort Lane, bordered along the Man O’ War Railroad Recreation Trail. It was requested by Rooted Oaks LLC of Hamilton and Cornerstone Baptist Church.

Dan Janik, of Root Oaks, noted the property is currently a vacant lot and explained the original concept was to build eight apartments on the property. The plan had since been revised and the council was asked to consider four or five two-story apartments with the first floor of each unit being a single-vehicle garage. He told council members the apartments would be about 1,400 square feet with additional auxiliary parking of 12 to 18 spaces located at one end of the apartments.

Council member Nancy Wall had an extensive list of concerns including available water and sewer capacity. Ben Hood, who operates the water and sewer systems reported that both had six-inch mains that would provide for the apartments and the city had excess capacity.

Council member Ransom Farley expressed concern about tenants and Janik said all perspective tenants would be subject to background and credit checks.

After some discussion, the Hamilton City Council approved the rezoning request by a 3-1 vote with Mayor Patrick Whearley and council members Farley and Alvin Howard consenting, with Wall casting the dissenting vote.

Janik said construction of the new apartments could begin in Spring 2007.