by Mary Rae Bragg of Asbury, IA
Council paves way for 62-and-older development and holds the line on property taxes. The heart of Asbury will become home to a private community for people age 62 an older, following action Tuesday night by the Asbury City Council.
The Council unanimously agreed to zoning changes that will allow construction of townhomes and a senior cooperative apartment complex on the 25-acre filed abutting Asbury Road, just east of Asbury Park.
The property, owned by Luther Manor, will accommodate 54 townhomes located in 27 buildings, and a senior cooperative containing 50 apartments. The cooperative is being developed by St. Paul, MN- based Real Estate Equities.
Mark Noble, Luther Manor’s executive director, said the project’s first phase will contain eight two-twonhome units and the senior cooperative, which will lie adjacent to the park. All the townhomes will be pre-sold before building begins, Noble said, but they expect to open a marketing office for the units in March and begin grading in the spring. At least 35 of the cooperative’s apartments already are spoken for.
The development will include a large pond of fountain, with views of the water from 20 of the townhomes. A feasibility study is underway to determine if the southernmost part of the property will be used for a a senior care facility, Noble said.
As approved, the development will have unrestricted access onto Asbury Road to the north, and Valley Forge Road to the south. Its streets will be limited to 24-foot-wide private drives, which will be maintained by Luther Manor.
Under the arrangement approved by the council, Luther Manor will have the right to restrict use of the property’s drives to residents only.