Two hotly contested issues were brought before the Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning last Thursday night, but only one received the board’s approval.

Chad and Hadley Phillips, owners of 403 and 407 Polk Ave., received the go ahead to present their plan to build a 56-bedroom, 34-unit apartment building to the city council at their meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in City Hall.

The property’s zoning already allowed for 17 three and four bedroom units to be built on the site.

The Phillips brothers want to build one and two bedroom units instead, hoping to reduce party noise and to make the apartments more appealing to upper class and graduate students.

“We feel this variance is better for everyone involved,” Chris Rankin of Consolidated Services, located in city hall, said. “Small units deter large gatherings and a party atmosphere.”

Although there will be no change in the number of potential tenants, neighbors of the site had some concerns.

“We’re adding a lot of people to this neighborhood, and I just don’t see how this is going to work,” Ray Carr of 1010 Sixth St. said.

Not all of the residents who spoke about the revised plan were opposed to the change.

“The one and two bedroom apartments cause less problems and less parties,” John Williams, 855 Seventh St., said.

The developers of the site believe the new plan will better suit the student housing needs of Charleston.

“I can see what the need is for this town, and it is not more three bedroom units,” Hadley Phillips said.

While the five present members of the board unanimously agreed that Charleston could use more small apartments, they also unanimously agreed the city did not need another bed and breakfast at this time.

Thomas and Salisa Olmsted from Painted Lady Properties, Inc., purchased the Livingston Lord house at 838 Seventh St. in February 2008 and spent the following year turning the formerly rundown property into a charming, renovated mansion.

And until the recent change in the housing market, they intended to sell it. Turning the property into a bed and breakfast was an afterthought.

“I can tell you the final product is something we are very proud of,” Thomas Olmsted said. “People started coming out of the wood work and thanking us for rehabbing it.”

The neighborhood, which is already home to two other bed and breakfast establishments, recently received historical district status.

The residents of the area want to keep it a quiet, residential area.

Williams present 48 signatures of area homeowners opposed to the variance.

“We do not want to live in a commercial area,” he said.

“We have yet to hear commitment to the good of the neighborhood in discussion,” Richard Droste, 835 Seventh St., said.

Parking concerns and increased traffic from potential meetings and receptions on the premises are the neighbors’ main concerns.

The law is not very clear about the restrictions on a bed and breakfast.

“I was on the board when we voted on a bed and breakfast ordinance, and I was very enthusiastic about it,” Jim Wood, a board member, said. “Now I’m really concerned about what our code will allow.”

Until the restrictions can be specified and tightened, the board voted not to recommend the variance to the city council.

Olmsted will still be permitted to present his case to the council if he chooses.

Sarah Ruholl can be reached at 581-7943 or seruholl2@eiu.edu.

Records indicate that Eastern Illinois University’s first president, Livingston C. Lord, resided at 838 Seventh St. for three years. This site was recently considered to be turned into a bed and breakfast. (Cari Wafford/The Daily Eastern News)

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