A reluctant compromise was made during Tuesday’s McMinnville Regional Planning Commission meeting.
Reece Moore and Todd Hutchins requested the rezoning of an entire city block in McMinnville from Residential-2 to Commercial-2.
The property, located across the street from the Farmers Market, is bordered by East Colville Street to the north, East Main Street to the northeast, Edgefield Street to the southeast, and East End Street to the west and southwest.
“It’s pretty much an entire city block,” said Hutchins. “It has a duplex, a larger home to the front, and a smaller home on the back.”
The property includes six parcels of land.
Future plans, says Hutchins, are to use the lots along East Colville Street for commercial business and ask for a special exception for lots to the back of the property to construct apartments. If the property is zoned commercial, apartments are only allowed as a special exception with permission by the city.
“We started to ask for residential (to the back) and commercial (along the main road), but we thought commercial would be better,” said Hutchins.
Property owner Sue Wood objected to commercial of any kind.
“I have two pieces of property in that area,” she said. “There’s nothing there but homes. It’s really a historic site for the black people and their families. I believe that the people in my area would want that to stay residential. If they are going to do that, they are going to come back and build some more.”
County Commissioner Michael Martin also objected.
“I’ve talked to people who live in that area and they are against rezoning. It isn’t going to help them none. The only thing it would do would be to make their property taxes go up and they are against that. They are against the whole commercial thing.”
Hutchins says the effort isn’t to hurt the neighborhood.
“We aren’t trying to build a big commercial building there,” Hutchins said. “There is an empty lot in between the house and the duplex. We just thought it would be a good spot for a small business at some point and time. We’re not trying to ruin your property or raise your taxes.”
In attendance were commission members David Marttala, chair, Jerry Williamson, Allison Moore, Steve Harvey and Amie Hodges.
“I would like to clarify one little thing,” said Williamson. “This would not increase anyone’s taxes just because this area is commercial. Yours would stay exactly as they are. This would not affect your taxes or anything like that.”
Harvey voiced reservations about making the block commercial.
“I have my reservations about knocking that whole block out,” said Harvey.
The Planning Commission makes recommendations to the full Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
Allison Moore made a motion to recommend the front property along East Colville Street be rezoned Commercial-3, while the back property be rezoned Residential-3, which will allow the building of duplexes.
Moore’s motion passed 3-2. Moore, Williamson and Hodges voted in favor of making that recommendation. Marttala and Harvey voted against it.