Council hears ordinances regarding development of senior housing

Oxford City Council heard a first reading of two ordinances that would amend the zoning map of 2.71 acres at Fairfield Road and develop senior housing. 

The area at 6099 Fairfield Road is currently designated as a two-family residential district. Sam Perry, the community development director, presented a recommendation from the Planning Commission to rezone the area into a multi-family residential district, paving the way for a senior housing development for residents 55 and older. 

The Oxford View Nursing Center previously occupied the location but was closed in 2024. Perry said the building could be reused, and that upzoning the property would allow more units than the current zoning. 

Scott Webb, the architect for this project, spoke to the council on behalf of property owners Terry and Katherine Dudley about the importance of the location’s proximity to Oxford Seniors and Talaford Manor, as well as the need for more senior housing in town. Webb said Talaford Manor has a 40-person wait list, and that a new senior housing development would meet Oxford’s demand. 

“We’re not trying to solve the overall affordable housing problem right now,” Webb said. “[We’re] talking specifically about senior housing, and we feel that the location is important for that reason.”

Under the current zoning, the building could hold 34 units. Perry said rezoning the property into a multi-family residential district would allow the building to hold at least 42 units without requiring significant modifications. 

Webb’s plan proposes 44 units, with 37 one-bedroom units and seven two-bedroom units. The building would also include a common space, small offices and areas for community gathering. 

The property requires some renovations and changes, such as creating a one-way circle drive from Fairfield Road and opening up the central courtyard, but Webb said reusing the current building helps from an environmental and cost perspective. 

Perry also presented an ordinance of another recommendation from the Planning Commission to rezone 2.1 acres at 5234 Hester Road from a single-family medium density residential district to a single and two-family residential district. 

The location was initially planned to have a cottage community property, a plan that was first heard by City Council in 2021. Perry said that the plan didn’t work out, but that the city offered to request rezoning for the project to increase the potential number of units from 13 up to 26. 

The Planning Commission hasn’t looked at a development plan for the site yet, but Perry presented the rezoning layout that would allow the project to hold more units. 

“This is another one where [we’re] accomplishing the housing goal through zoning,” Perry said. “Our research has shown … that zoning is really one of the prime obstacles that stays in the way of housing affordability and access. It’s not the only one, but it’s one that cities and townships and counties can have some influence over."

Other business

City Council also adopted an ordinance that authorizes the purchase of perpetual easements on parcels for Phase Five of the Oxford Area Trails Multimodal Transportation Project. The creation of the trails is set to begin at the end of the summer. 

Carol Michael shared a report from this year’s Sharefest, which occurred from May 15-20. Sharefest diverted 95 tons of food, clothing, furniture, household goods and e-waste from the landfill, which Michael said was more than 20 tons more than last year. 

Sustainability coordinator Reena Murphy presented the 2023 greenhouse gas inventory report. The sources of community-wide emissions remained the same compared to previous years, with energy and transportation being the largest emission sources. Murphy said for government operations or things that the city is explicitly in control of, Oxford is on track to reach its goals laid out in the Climate Action Plan. 

“We are on our Red Brick Road to Zero,” Murphy said. “We should be very proud of our community. I think of [this] as us going from a B+ to an A-, and that’s really hard to do, but we’re doing it.”

The next city council meeting will be on July 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the courthouse.