Graham P&Z board, city council approve special use permit for square location

The Graham Planning and Zoning Board and Graham City Council approved a special use permit request regarding 607-609 Elm St. on the downtown square for proposed lease apartments, retail space, hotel and parking garage. Two public hearings were held this week regarding the permit request.

The request for 607-609 Elm St. includes the original Graham addition, block 5, 6.66 feet of lot 7 and all of lots 8-9. The request came from the current owner of the property, Jeff Mercer, with CJM 2 Properties, LLC. David Miller on behalf of Mercer presented preliminary concepts for the approval of the use of the space from the P&Z board Tuesday.

“We think it’s going to be a great addition to the square to put more walking traffic, more people who are just on the square to create more of a presence of people here,” Miller said Tuesday. “We would love to see more of the second stories around the square do the same.”

In the preliminary concept, the company wants to have 12 apartments on the second floor with options for two and one-story apartments. The plan for the parking garage on the first floor shows 12 parking spaces, but the company is looking to have 24 spaces with the project, or two spaces per apartment per city ordinance, and possibly eliminate the office area currently on that floor.

For the rest of the story, see the July 24 edition of The Graham Leader.