City Council to discuss zoning tonight
By Staff Reports
Published in News on March 16, 2009 1:46 PM
Planning concerns will take center stage at the City Council meeting tonight, with six public hearings scheduled to take place.
A contested zoning change proposed by Dillon Wooten Jr., which would rezone the northeast corner of Berkeley Boulevard and Maplewood Drive from office and institutional use to neighborhood business, is one of several zoning issues on the agenda.
Housing and Urban Development requires cities to hold an open hearing to take comments whenever a petition is lodged against a zoning action.
"We do have a protest petition," said Planning Director Randy Guthrie.
In accordance with the guidelines, the council extended an invitation for the public to voice their concerns about housing and non-housing needs in the city, offering citizens a chance to express any concerns related to the consolidated action plan for the Community Development Block Grant and HOME programs.
The proposed rezoning would allow the property, currently used for offices, to be used for retail space. Several owners of adjacent properties and a homeowner's association are concerned about the rezoning, Guthrie said.
The council will also discuss closing portions of North Center Street, changing the name of Courtyard Circle to Day Circle and a rezoning request from Tim Melton which would rezone the southwest corner of North Spence Avenue and U.S. Highway 70 East from shopping center status to highway business.
In other business, the council will discuss a budget amendment to the Union Station, which is still undergoing refurbishment.
The council's work session scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in the large conference room in the City Hall Addition. The regular session will begin at 7 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall.