Planning Commission Zoning Public Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Planning Commission convened via video teleconference on July 16, 2020, at 1:30 PM, with Mr. Chair presiding over the session. The commission addressed five agenda items during the meeting, all of which were approved, including the approval of minutes and four development-related matters. The meeting featured significant public participation with 10 public comments heard throughout the proceedings. Commission members conducted 7 formal votes on various motions related to the agenda items. The session covered a range of planning matters including zoning map amendments for Anderson Communities and Blackburn Development, as well as development plans for Baptist Church at Andover Property and Yellman's Subdivision, demonstrating the commission's ongoing work in managing urban development and land use planning during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Attendance

The following members were present at the July 16, 2020 meeting:

Present: • Larry Forester • Bruce Nicol • Graham Pohl • Bill Wilson • Frank Penn • Carolyn Plumlee • Headley Bell • Jay Meyers • Zach Davis • Jan Meyer

All ten members were in attendance with no absences or late arrivals recorded for this meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included seven votes on various planning matters and administrative items.

Minutes Approval 0:00 The commission approved the June 11, 2020 minutes by voice vote. The motion was seconded by Anthony and passed unanimously.

PLN-MAR-20-00007: Anderson Communities, Inc. Zoning Map Amendment 2:30 Bruce Nicol motioned for approval of this zoning map amendment. The motion passed 8-1 by roll call vote with the condition of removing sections 2, q and t. Voting in favor: Larry Forester, Bruce Nicol, Graham Pohl, Bill Wilson, Frank Penn, Carolyn Plumlee, Headley Bell, and Jay Meyers. Jan Meyer voted against.

PLN-MJDP-20-00020: Baptist Church at Andover Property Development Plan 3:45 Bruce Nicol motioned for approval, seconded by Headley Bell. The development plan passed unanimously 9-0 by roll call vote with the condition to discuss vehicular access to Andover Woods Lane. All commissioners voted in favor: Larry Forester, Bruce Nicol, Graham Pohl, Bill Wilson, Frank Penn, Carolyn Plumlee, Headley Bell, Jay Meyers, and Jan Meyer.

Waiver Request for Spacing Along Todds Road 4:30 This waiver request passed unanimously 9-0 by roll call vote with all commissioners voting in favor.

PLN-MAR-20-00009: Blackburn Development LLC Zoning Map Amendment 5:45 This zoning map amendment passed 6-4 by roll call vote. Voting in favor: Larry Forester, Bruce Nicol, Bill Wilson, Headley Bell, Jay Meyers, and Jan Meyer. Voting against: Graham Pohl, Frank Penn, and Carolyn Plumlee.

PLN-MJDP-20-00019: Yellman's Subdivision Development Plan 6:30 The development plan passed 6-4 by roll call vote with the same voting pattern as the previous item.

Variance Requests for Blackburn Development 7:15 These variance requests passed 6-4 by roll call vote with the condition of R-5 zoning rather than R-4, maintaining the same 6-4 voting split.

Public Comment

The public comment period featured ten speakers addressing two main development projects.

Anderson Communities Development Support

Six speakers voiced support for the Anderson Communities development project. Tim Van Wingerden 1:00 expressed support for the development, citing compliance and understanding with neighborhoods and the church. Irvin Hearst 1:15 also voiced support, noting improved design and community engagement.

Ben 1:30 expressed trust in Anderson Communities and questioned the necessity of additional access on Andover Woods Lane. Bradley Sinclair 1:45 supported the development and looked forward to ministering to the senior living facility. Jackie Long 2:00 supported the development as it stands, emphasizing no access across Andover Woods Lane. Edward 2:15 expressed support for the development, highlighting the opportunity to serve the senior community.

Blackburn Development Opposition

Four speakers raised concerns about the Blackburn Development project. Mark Clarr 5:00 opposed the Blackburn Development, citing concerns about mass, scale, and parking challenges. Amy Clark 5:15 raised specific concerns about parking capacity and the impact on existing tenants.

Faith Harters 5:30 highlighted the proximity of the development to existing homes and potential traffic issues. Brooks Sutter 5:45 expressed concern about the demolition of a historic house and its impact on the neighborhood.

The comments revealed strong community support for the Anderson Communities project, particularly regarding senior living services, while the Blackburn Development faced opposition focused on scale, parking, traffic, and historic preservation concerns.

Appointments

The council made two appointments to the Urban County Planning Commission during the July 16, 2020 meeting.

• Jay Meyers was appointed to the Urban County Planning Commission
• Zach Davis was appointed to the Urban County Planning Commission

Both appointments were approved by the council to fill positions on the planning commission, which serves as an advisory body for land use and development matters within the urban county jurisdiction.

Contested Items

The July 16, 2020 meeting featured two zoning map amendments that generated significant debate and community engagement.

Anderson Communities Zoning Map Amendment

This development proposal faced considerable community division regarding connectivity and access concerns. The item drew both significant community support and opposition, with residents expressing conflicting views about how the proposed development would impact traffic patterns and neighborhood access. The nature of the opposition centered on practical concerns about how residents and visitors would enter and exit the development, and how this would affect surrounding areas.

Blackburn Development Zoning Map Amendment

The Blackburn Development proposal resulted in a split vote among council members, reflecting the contentious nature of this zoning change. The primary concerns raised during deliberations focused on two key issues: the potential impact on the surrounding historic neighborhood character and inadequate parking provisions for the proposed development.

Community members and council members expressed worry that the development could compromise the historical integrity of the neighborhood, while parking concerns centered on whether the proposal included sufficient spaces to serve residents without creating overflow parking problems in adjacent areas. The split vote indicates that council members were divided on whether these concerns had been adequately addressed in the development proposal.

Both items demonstrate the ongoing tension between development interests and community preservation concerns that frequently arise in zoning decisions. The community opposition and split votes reflect the challenge of balancing growth with neighborhood character and infrastructure capacity.

*Note: Specific vote tallies, council member positions, and detailed community comments would require access to meeting transcripts with timestamps to provide more comprehensive coverage of these contested items.*

Approval of Minutes

0:00 The meeting began with consideration of the minutes from the previous session held on June 11, 2020. Mr. Chair presented the minutes for review and approval by the body.

The minutes were considered without any recorded discussion or amendments from meeting participants. No concerns were raised regarding the accuracy or completeness of the June 11, 2020 meeting record.

The minutes of the June 11, 2020 meeting were approved as presented.

Anderson Communities Zoning Map Amendment

2:30

The council considered ordinance PLN-MAR-20-00007, a zoning map amendment request for Anderson Communities to change the designation from Agricultural Urban to High Density Apartment zone.

Key speakers during the discussion included Hal Baillie and Tom Martin, who presented details about the proposed zoning change and its implications for the development.

The zoning map amendment would allow Anderson Communities to develop higher-density residential housing on the property, transitioning from the current agricultural designation to accommodate apartment-style housing units. This type of zoning change typically enables more intensive residential development with increased unit density per acre.

The council ultimately approved the Anderson Communities zoning map amendment, allowing the property to move forward with high-density apartment development under the new zoning classification.

Baptist Church at Andover Property Development Plan

The council considered agenda item PLN-MJDP-20-00020, a development plan for the Baptist Church at Andover Property 3:45.

Key speakers during the discussion included Hal Baillie and Tom Martin, who presented details regarding the proposed development plan. The item was classified as an ordinance requiring formal council consideration and approval.

The development plan outlined proposed changes and improvements to the Baptist Church at Andover Property, though specific details of the scope, timeline, or financial implications were not detailed in the available materials.

Following the presentation and any discussion that may have occurred, the council voted to approve the Baptist Church at Andover Property Development Plan. The approval allows the project to move forward according to the submitted plans and any conditions that may have been established during the review process.

The successful passage of this ordinance represents the completion of the formal approval process for this religious institution's development project within the community.

Blackburn Development Zoning Map Amendment

5:45

The council considered ordinance PLN-MAR-20-00009, a zoning map amendment for Blackburn Development requesting a change from Two Family Residential to High Rise Apartment zone.

Key speakers during the discussion included Hal Baillie and Chris, who presented information regarding the proposed zoning change. The amendment would allow for higher density residential development on the property by transitioning from the current two-family residential designation to a zone that permits high-rise apartment construction.

The council ultimately approved the zoning map amendment for Blackburn Development, allowing the property to move forward with high-rise apartment development under the new zoning classification.