Last night, City Council took a firm stand on Vertical Mixed Use. It voted 6-1 to deny Judge's Hill's application to opt its four eligible tracts out of the VMU district. (Dunkerly's motion was worded more diplomatically than that, but it had the same effect.) It even voted to opt the tracts into the affordable housing incentives.
This was just a first reading, and there was some talk of putting off the 2nd and 3rd votes until ROMA has completed its downtown plan. But this was encouraging -- very encouraging -- because it was the first time Council had to take a stand. I hope City staff and the Planning Commission take Council's cue.
Perhaps equally encouraging, Council postponed Hyde Park and East MLK's applications to opt all of their eligible properties out of VMU. It was clear from the meeting (and from McCracken's e-mail to M1EK mentioned in a comment here) that these two neighborhoods are being sent back to the drawing board.
I have been pessimistic about VMU's chances since City Council voted to allow neighborhoods to opt individual properties out of the VMU district. Last night's meeting is ground for cautious optimism.
