Ledger-Dispatch

By Jerry Budrick (jbudrick@ledger-dispatch.com= )=20

Jackson planning commissioners have = given the=20 go-ahead to owners of the Jackson Creek Apartments to convert = their=20 complex into for-sale condominiums.

Photo by: Jerry=20 Budrick
Four years after the initial = application,=20 owners of the Jackson Creek Apartments at the convergence of Court and = Water=20 streets, are seeking to finalize the conversion of 36 apartment units = into=20 condominiums. On Monday, the Jackson Planning Commission agreed that = they should=20 be allowed to do just that.

Given the stagnation in the real = estate=20 market, one major question under discussion was, "Why now?" Commission=20 Chairwoman Letitia Sexton expressed her personal mystification, saying, = "I still=20 can't grasp the why of your project."

Owner Ted Mortarotti of = Equidyne=20 Jackson Creek Associates attempted to explain his motivation along with = his=20 plan. "In for a penny, in for a pound," Mortarotti said.

Without = getting=20 specific, Mortarotti estimated a likely price tag of $120,000 to = $125,000 per=20 unit, each of which has two bedrooms and one bathroom. He admitted that = the=20 "hot" market of a couple years ago most likely would have yielded prices = more in=20 the $160,000 range. "If we had done this in '04, people could have = bought units=20 and flipped them for $15- or $20,000 profits," he said.

In = presenting the=20 project to the commission, Planning Director Susan Peters pointed out = that this=20 condominium conversion would be subject to general plan provisions on=20 condominium development and conversions. This section was, in fact, = added to the=20 general plan in late 2004, largely in response to the Jackson Creek = Apartments=20 application for conversion.

In answer to a question from Planning = Commissioner Walt Hoeser, City Manager Mike Daly said the condos would = qualify=20 for the city's first-time homebuyer program. Daly added that the = condominium=20 units would probably qualify as low or very low income affordable=20 housing.

To Sexton's inquiry about the availability of other = apartments=20 in the city, Daly responded, "When we did the study in '05, there were = sporadic=20 vacancies around town." The city planning staff reported that the = Kennedy=20 Meadows Apartments are currently completely occupied, while there are = seven=20 vacancies at the Water Street Apartments.

Jackson resident Kathy = duBois=20 asked about fees associated with this conversion. Peters said that there = really=20 were no fees beyond the standard building permit fees, leading duBois to = respond, "In Berkeley, the city gets $5,000 each for = conversions."

"I=20 wonder how they do that," Peters said.

Concerning the time = allowed for=20 tenants to find alternative accommodations, Mortarotti said, "If we get = all=20 approvals, we will give tenants 90 to 120 days notice. Also, since we = have nine=20 buildings of four units each, we'll probably do only one building at a=20 time."

Planning Commissioner Terri Works, participating in her=20 penultimate commission meeting, was not allowed to participate in public = comment=20 or the meeting, due to ownership of property within 500 feet of the = project=20 site. Also forced to step down for reasons of proximity was Planning=20 Commissioner Dave Butow.

The remaining three commissioners = unanimously=20 decided to approve the condominium conversion project.

Jerry = Budrick