Comedian Dave Chapelle attended a Monday night public hearing in Yellow Springs, Ohio, to dissuade the village from approving a housing development plan that included affordable housing.
Chapelle threatened to yank his own business ventures – a restaurant and a comedy club – from the village of Yellow Springs if they approved the housing plan, the Dayton Daily News reported. Initially, the town was planning to build duplexes and affordable housing along with single-family homes in a 53-acre.
“I am not bluffing,” said Chappelle. “I will take it all off the table,” he said about his company, Iron Table Holdings LLC’s plan to build a restaurant and comedy club. Chappelle’s company bought a former fire station in December.
After complaints from Chappelle and “numerous residents” the village council voted 2-2 with one abstention on the revised “planned unit development” zoning. Therefore, the zoning will revert to what was previously approved.
Previously approved was 143 single-family homes on the lot, and prices of the homes start at roughly $300,000 according to the village documents.
Chappelle’s business plans to build a comedy club called “Live from YS” and a restaurant called “Firehouse Eatery.” Other villagers were concerned about traffic problems, the proposed homeowner’s association and issues with water management.
Others were upset that the council, along with the builder Oberer Homes did not include them in any of the planning.