City of Watertown Board of Adjustment approves conditional use for 12-unit apartment project at 1010 and 1022 4th Avenue NW

The City of Watertown Board of Adjustment on May 7 unanimously approved a conditional‑use permit (CU264) to allow construction of three four‑plex buildings at 1010 and 1022 4th Avenue Northwest, converting two parcels that currently hold nine manufactured homes into a single lot with approximately 12 housing units.

Planning staff told the board the project sits in the C3 highway commercial district and meets the minimum density requirement; staff said the proposed layout is less dense than the existing use and that detailed site‑plan and ordinance compliance will be verified during building‑permit review. "It is at the location of 1010 and 1022 4th Avenue Northwest," staff noted during the presentation and said the project will comply with ordinance requirements when it applies for permits.

The applicant, Dave Melhaney, identified himself as a Watertown builder and said he plans to remove the older mobile homes and build three four‑plexes with primarily ground‑floor units. "I'd like to do away with the mobile homes which were old and in need of quite a little work and I'd like to put in three, hopefully affordable fourplexes which should be 12 units," Melhaney said, adding that units would be smaller than 1,000 square feet and that he plans to raise the ground at least a foot to reduce flood risk.

Board members asked for clarification on floodplain status and the disposition of existing manufactured homes. Staff said the site is in a 500‑year area so standard flood‑plain regulations do not apply, and Melhaney said removal or landfill disposal are among the options for the older units. Board members also discussed ingress/egress and parking; the applicant said parking would be provided off the alley and that an existing curb cut on Fourth Avenue may or may not be used.

No members of the public spoke against the project during the public hearing. After discussion, a board member moved to approve the conditional‑use request "as presented"; a second was recorded and the board conducted a roll‑call vote. The motion passed unanimously.

Next steps for the project include submittal of building permits and staff review of site‑plan and ordinance requirements; if the applicant cannot meet permit standards, the matter would return to the board for consideration of variances or modifications.