The property owners and developers are Everett Smyth and EJS Properties. They want to build a trio of three-story buildings with studios and one-bedroom apartments. The buildings would for a U-shape, with the middle building facing 39th Avenue. A landscaped courtyard would fill in the empty space.

The development would require a zone change from single-family housing. One was approved by this spring by a city hearings examiner, but was appealed to the City Council in June by a neighboring property owner who successfully fought the placement of a fast-food restaurant on the site in years past.

Despite concerns about some of the buildings' proximity to single-family residences, the project meets requirements for density and height and parking. The city is promoting high density, transit-oriented housing as a way to meet its targeted housing goals. The council is scheduled to review the matter on Oct. 12.