Rezoning receives initial OK

A local chiropractor may soon be getting a new office.

Portland Plan Commission on Thursday recommended approval of a request from Oakland Gaerke to rezone a parcel on the west side of the city to allow for the construction of a new location for his Clear Choice Chiropractic practice.

The request now moves to Portland City Council for final approval.

Gaerke hopes to construct his new office on a portion of the former First Baptist Church property he and his business partner purchased last year. (The church at 601 N. Charles St. was recently converted into the new home of Midwest Pet Refuge.) Gaerke’s office would sit to the east of Midwest Pet Refuge with a driveway also connecting to Charles Street.

The property is currently zoned residential. Gaerke is requesting it be rezoned to highway service to allow for the construction of his new office. (The Midwest Pet Refuge lot and a lot to the north, also owned by Gaerke, were rezoned to highway service last year.)

Gaerke told Portland Plan Commission on Thursday he plans to build a 64-foot by 60-foot brick structure with a full basement. (That would give him about twice as much space as he has at his current location at 406 W. Votaw St.)

“I just need more space, really,” Gaerke said.

He said his new building will face the north, with a driveway going west to Charles Street. He added that he’s happy to put up a fence if that’s what nearby homeowners on Wayside Place would prefer.

John Hemmelgarn, director of Jay/Portland Building and Planning, added that if rezoning is approved by city council, Gaerke will then need to turn in plans for approval. They must meet local build- ing regulations.

Wayside Place residents Greg and Cathy Franks asked about where the pos- sible fence would be placed and about flooding issues in the area. Hemmelgarn responded that city ordi- nance requires that a fence be 3 feet from a property line and that Gaerke will need to have an approved drainage plan before begin- ning construction.

Janet Powers was the only plan commission

member to comment on the request, saying she’s con- cerned about the additional traffic the practice will bring to the residential area along Charles Street.

Plan commission mem- bers Lee Newman, Kent McClung, Ron Laux, Steve McIntosh, Bart Darby, Kyle Cook, Randy Geesaman and Powers, absent Don Gillespie, unanimously rec- ommended to city council that the rezoning request be approved. Council has 90 days to act on plan commis- sion’s recommendation.

Gaerke said Thursday he hopes council can act quickly, adding that he’d like to begin construction next month and that he’s in the process of selling his current office site.