The planning board will have the opportunity to make a recommendation to council, which will consider the matter at its May 3 meeting.

(The Thursday public hearing is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Lloyd Andrews City Meeting Hall at 700 Jackson Street)

Thursday's hearing comes after MaSuki Incorporated informed the city last month it had scrubbed new plans for its property.

In its latest proposal, MaSuki is seeking a conditional use permit to amend the Villages at Cross Creek planned unit development conditional use permit and planned unit development zoning map, which was revised by council last August.

The area under consideration, according to information contained in the agenda packet, is 17 acres out of a total of 104 acres adjacent to Cross Creek Parkway at Highway 125.

The property is also adjacent to property owned by Good News Baptist Church, fire station 2 and MaSuki.

Under consideration is a request to accommodate a revised multi-family development proposal consisting of six residential buildings — a total of 144 residential apartments — and community amenities.

MaSuki is requesting a PUD R-3 multi-family residential district. The current district consists of 3 acres of B-4 commercial; 7 acres of R-12 residential and 7 acres of R-40 residential. The remaining 87 acres of the 104-acre parent tract will retain the current PUD zoning classifications, the information says.

Lasky's executive summary states the Highway 125 apartments sketch consists of six residential buildings containing 24 units per building for a maximum density of 144 residential units. “No modifications or exceptions to the city's development standards are being requested,” the document notes. “The use of the property as a planned unit development is a use that is permitted with the approval of a conditional use permit.”

Under proposed zoning conditions, Lasky notes there should be required screening and buffering installed or planted at the time of building construction prior to occupancy; state Department of Transportation driveway and access agreements must be obtained prior to construction; the proposed swimming pool must be reviewed for compliance by the county health department and the administrator may authorize occupancy with a performance guarantee.

In the application for the permit, Mark Gregory of MaSuki notes the company is asking for the amendment to build market-value multi-family apartments. “The existing PUD has established and currently contains an R-3 zoning.”

He further noted in the application the project will not substantially injure the value of adjoining or abutting properties. “There are numerous studies that show that market-value multi-family apartments do not substantially injure adjoining property values.”

Because the area in question has a mixed use of town homes, apartments, residential and commercial within the vicinity, Gregory wrote, “It is definitely in harmony with the area,” and is in general conformity with the city's land use plan, thoroughfare plan any other plan officially adopted by the city.