Eugene Ji says he wants to build the most energy-efficient apartment complex in Baton Rouge. His neighbors have worked with Ji, but have concerns about the Green Cottage Rental Community in Sherwood Forest. “What he was proposing was a 94-unit rental community,” says Gary Patureau, a neighbor. That many units would create a density that doesn’t square with the city-parish’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan—according to the Planning Commission—which requires new developments to preserve the character of established neighborhoods. “But [Ji] seems very willing to work with us,” Patureau says. For now, Green Cottage is tabled for review by the Planning Commission board until March. In the meantime, Ji says he is modifying plans for the complex—which is located on Mollylea Drive, west of Sherwood Forest Boulevard—to pare it down by about 30% from its original design. He has also agreed to meet with the neighborhood association again to provide more updates and get feedback on the potential layout of the rental community.Ji’s goal is to utilize every available energy-efficient product on the market—from solar panels to appliances and light bulbs—and make each Green Cottage resident’s energy bill not much more than $20 per month. “We want to educate people that there’s a way to live in an energy-efficient house,” Ji says. —Adam Pearson
Editor’s note: This story has been changed since its original publication to refelect the neighborhood association has not endorsed the apartments. The group opposes rental units. Daily Report regrets the error.
