Published: November 19, 2008 08:13 am      

Commission votes against commercial land zoning

The Madison County Planning Commission will recommend that Madison Fiscal Court deny a request to rezone — from agriculture to commercial — 2.6 acres of land along US 25 between Valley Green and Battlefield Place subdivisions.

The change, requested by Margaret Halcomb, was opposed at the meeting by a group of about 15 Valley Green residents and other nearby residents.

Mike Miller of Valley Green said he and other residents were concerned that commercial property near his subdivision’s entrance would create a traffic hazard and lower residential property values.

“If you change the zoning of this property, we asked that the change be compatible with surrounding property,” he said.

The land is surrounded on three sides by property zoned for single-family dwellings.

Miller’s wife Cindy said every Valley Green homeowner had signed a petition opposing the change.

John Troyer, who said he had lived in Valley Green for 18 years, called it “one of the best-kept secrets in Madison County.”

The commission voted unanimously against the request with members Robert Farmer and William Witt absent.

Lexington attorney Matt Finley, who represented Halcomb, said the narrow strip of property was of little value as long as it was zone for agriculture. He said his client may submit a new proposal in the future.

Another request from Halcomb -- to rezone from agriculture to single-family dwelling another 1.5 acres along the highway south of the Valley Green entrance -- unanimously won a favorable recommendation.

Vice Chair David Bohannon, who presided at the meeting in Farmer’s absence, said the zoning recommendations could be considered by the fiscal court at its Nov. 25 meeting, 9:30 a.m. at the county courthouse in Richmond.

The commission voted three-to-two to grant a minor plat and waiver to James Neal Dobkins, allowing him to separate an eight-acre track from a farm at the foot of Pilot Knob off of Red Lick Road.

The plat could not be approved without a waiver, Planning and Codes Administrator Duane Curry said, because county regulations allow do not allow divisions of less than 15 acres unless the property fronts on a paved county road. The division proposed by Dobkins fronts on a private gravel road.

The regulation is designed to prevent property from being divided and developed piece-meal, Bohannon said. In the past, owners of property developed in that fashion often sought to have the county take over and improve the road.

Residents who live on narrow, unimproved roads cannot easily be reached by emergency vehicles, said commission member Paula Maionchi.

“We have to treat everyone the same,” she said. “If we approve this request, what do we say to all the other farmers who want to separate a small piece of their land?”

Dobkins said the property had been promised to him by the former owner, now deceased, but the heirs had agreed to their father’s request.

When it appeared that Dobkins’ request would die for lack of a motion, commission member Wanda Pennington moved that it be granted.

“I’d hate for this man not to get this property just because we won’t grant him a waiver,” she said.

She was joined by Chandler Combs and Gary Hart in passing the motion.

Bohannon and Maionchi voted “no.”

A minor plat for James Alexander on Pilot Knob Cemetery Road was approved without opposition.

Richmond Planning Commission

The Richmond Planning Commission adjourned after briefly reviewing a summary of subdivision plats approved since 2003.

Plats for multi-family developments that would allow 810 apartments to be built were approved in 2008. In the previous year, 279 were approved, but 1,362 were approved in 2006 after the city lifted a moratorium on multi-family developments.

“This is just the number of apartments that was approved,” said Planning Director Mike Roberts. “Not all of them have been built.”

The number of units constructed was not available.

An application for a digital sign on the Eastern Bypass and another for an entrance on the Martin Bypass were withdrawn before the meeting convened.

“This is the first time in the five years that I’ve worked for the city that we had no requests for plats or development plans,” Roberts said.

The lack of applications reflects the slowdown in construction and real estate development, he said.

Two requests that came in too late to be considered in November will be taken up at Dec. 2 and Dec. 10 work sessions.

Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@richmondregister.com or at 623-1669, Ext. 267.