But before moving forward with the construction, Dory Marhamat must still meet the recommendations of the town's consulting architect, work toward a functional second floor, comply with uniform building codes, minimize impact on neighbors and plant screening trees on the southeast corner of the lot.

The plan is to build two separate condominiums within an approximately 9,500-square-foot parcel, with each building measuring 1,500 square feet.

Two neighbors who spoke during last week's public hearing supported Marhamat's plans, while another handful continued to find fault with the blueprints.

"We started out rough in the process, but we've come a long way," said Stephanie Christenberry, who lives next to the project site.

"The design has changed a lot for the better," she said, referring in part to the elimination of proposed windows that would have faced her home as well as other neighbors.

Christenberry lives in one-half of a duplex she owns along with Scott Partridge and rents out the other half of the building. She noted that if her lot was big enough, she, too, would have liked to build two separate buildings so that she would not hear her neighbors through the thin walls.

But Paul Vieth, who lives behind the property, said that if the proposed buildings remain two stories, he would like to see the two separate buildings combined into one and moved back toward the center of the property to allow greater setback between it and neighboring yards.

Oak Meadow Drive resident Dorothy Courtney, who lives across from the project site, lent her expertise as a professional real estate broker in noting that most people seek adequate lighting, a feeling of space and privacy when they purchase a home.

She suggested designing a one-story duplex with vaulted ceilings. This way, neighbors' concerns of second-story windows facing their homes could be allayed while still creating a sense of space for the homeowners. She also suggested putting the garages between the two living spaces to give those residents more privacy.

The town council ultimately decided in a 3-2 vote to grant conditional approval of the plans, thus reversing the planning commission's rejection of Marhamat's designs.

In her motion to grant the appeal, Mayor Sandy Decker said she is "heartened by hearing that the applicant is willing to look at the suggestions made by our consulting architect."

But Councilwoman Diane McNutt, who voted against the appeal along with Councilman Joe Pirzynski, said she has "a real problem" with the plans.

"I think it's just a clever way of putting two single-family homes in one lot," McNutt said. She further objected to the way the developer did not follow the original directions given by the planning commission and town council.

This is the fifth time this project has been brought before either of the two governing bodies. The project was rejected in the past because of concerns that the proposed buildings weren't in character with the rest of the neighborhood and, at one point, they exceeded the floor area ratio limit.

But a number of residents have also complained that neither Marhamat nor his architect made a sincere effort in soliciting neighbor input, and they maintain the designs still aren't compatible with the area.

In a December letter to the town council, Marhamat stated that he has "responded positively to issues raised and has had the design reviewed on several occasions by one of the neighbors who is an architect." He further stated that he has already incorporated suggestions and recommendations from that neighbor and the town's consulting architect.

Nevertheless, further discussions will follow between Marhamat and town staff.

"We understand the concerns of the neighbors, and we will work to resolve the issues that were raised at the meeting," said Community Development Director Bud Lortz. "The neighbors' concerns were clear based on their comments."