A Special Use Permit for a Memory Care Center on King Street, immediately adjacent to the Ivy Hill Cemetery, became the biggest topic of contention in the Feb. 3 Planning Commission meeting.The Planning Commission approved the special use permit, but the debate is expected to continue when the issue is brought up again at the Feb. 21 City Council Public Hearing.
The developer proposes installing a nursing home specializing in care for patients with dementia and other memory related ailments. City staff recommended approval of the project, saying the site is not intrusive onto the nearby residential communities and goes towards the city’s goal of providing more housing for senior citizens.
However, the site faces considerable opposition from the Taylor Run and Seminary Hill neighborhoods across King Street, including a petition in 2013-2014 with 186 signatures against the development. Primary concerns focus around the city allowing commercial development in a primarily residential area, opening the way for additional developments to lower nearby property values.