Examiner OKs housing in Rockwood Neighborhood

In a decision issued June 6, the hearing examiner ruled in favor of Parsons Construction Inc., allowing the company to go ahead with its planned development of three single-family homes at 2607 S. Denver St.

The owner of Parsons Construction, David Parsons, said he was pleased with the ruling.

Neighbors Rodney Bacon and Greer Gibson Bacon had appealed the planning director’s decision to allow the development to move forward without a short plat process, which would have required public hearings. The property is one tax parcel, which had one home – a 1947 rancher – but straddles three lots.

The three proposed homes are designed by architect Matthew Collins of Uptic Studios.

“The homes are in Pacific Northwest modern style,” Collins said, adding that he may live in one of the homes.

Some neighbors were upset that the homes are modern and not in keeping with the historic architecture in the Rockwood Neighborhood, but Parsons said there are numerous modern homes in and around the neighborhood.

“This year’s home tour featured modern homes on the South Hill that were built in the ’50s and the ’60s; it’s not that unusual,” Parsons said.

He added that the home that was torn down was beyond repair.

Some neighbors maintained the homes would look like condominiums because they may share a driveway.

Collins said the shared driveway was picked to cut back on paving and on curb cutouts.

The property at 2607 S. Denver St. was assessed at $404,100 in 2012. Nearby properties were in the $300,000 range. Assessed values are generally lower than actual values.

Parsons said he believes the new homes, which will sell for no less than $400,000 apiece, have plenty of support in the neighborhood.

“They are quality homes,” he said.

The hearing examiner’s decision may be appealed by filing a land-use petition with Spokane County Superior Court by June 26.