Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Okay. Uh, it's after 6 pm and uh I'm would like to go ahead and call the January 2026 meeting of the Blunt County Board of Zoning Appeals to order. First order. Uh, roll call. Emergency. E. Oh, emergency first. Okay. All right. We

evacuation. All right. Okay. Uh will you call the row? We have a quorum.

We have a quorum. Okay. We have a quorum. First uh approval of minutes from the uh November 2025. Make a motion we accept as written. Second. Okay. I have a motion and second. All in favor? I Okay.

Motion passes. Okay, we have a uh if anyone that uh intends to speak to an item on the agenda, we have a requirement that uh like because this is a quasi judicial uh board and meeting, there is an oath that you're required to affirm. And I'm going to read that. So, if anyone that's here that intends to speak tonight I'll ask that you uh they're not speaking.

Rise and I'll ask that you rise and give the following oath or affirmation. Do you Oh, no one. I thought these guys were He's just here to observe and he's from the papers. So

Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I I thought you guys were all right. So, first item on the agenda is a variance request for 254 Long Branch Road in Townsen. And since there's no is there I'll ask is there anyone here that wants to speak in favor of this? There being none, is there anyone here that wish to speak in opposition to that to it? There being none, uh, gentlemen, question. Yes. Mr. Chairman, the I have a qu Oh,

the owners the owners weren't able to be here tonight, but I told them I'd present the um their variance request. So, the the variance request is for a a side and rear setback reduction. The rear setback's normally 20 ft. They're asking reduce it to five. The side setback's usually 10 feet and they're asking to reduce it to five. And the reason that they're having to reduce it uh is just due to the soils being poor and they had to to push the the house all the way in the back to even get approved for a I believe it was one or twobedroom approval for SE septic system. So it kind of has to be where they're showing it on the site plan to even get septic approval. Um without moving it back they they wouldn't be able to to build anything. Cameron, this map, that little square in the back, is that the house?

Yeah, it's going to It's a very small cabin. Um, it's a cabin. Yeah, very it's it's a small cabin. Yeah. Is this a flat lot? Deep. No, I I apologize. I didn't take pictures this time and I've told I've been doing that in the past, but this this lot goes goes up pretty it's pretty steep and it the terrain's pretty rough, too. I mean, the only place they have is to push it up the hill and in the back. So, but it Yeah, it's it's straight uphill. So, the people behind didn't object.

The the property behind it is actually owned by South Blunt Utility. Um, it's it's the communal septic system for Kenzel Springs. I think the neighbor the subdivision. Um, so they there's no neighbors behind it. It's a it's a septic it's a communal septic system for a neighboring subdivision. So they can't connect to that sewer system. No, because this lot's not platted with that subdivision. It's not part of it. So they don't pay HOA fees for that neighborhood and they're not actually in it. So 5t away and they can't connect to a sewer system. Yep. Yep. 5T away. And we we did Yeah, we asked too. They they can't connect to it. Pardon? I said we did ask and they can't

How how did how did a lot like this get created? a very long time ago before any before any of us were here. Was this before the planning commission? Oh, yeah. That lot. I mean, I don't have the plat in front of me. I mean, I Well, the little lot There's two little lots there. What? That lot right beside in between those two little bitty lots. Mhm. South Blunt owns that. Yeah, they own all that around the big lot next to this one to the west of it. South Blunt owns all that. So though South Blunt didn't buy some off of each of those two little lots. Uh so they they've been there a long time and they have

haven't been because it's a substandard lot. It is. I mean those they were probably recorded 60 70 years ago. Okay. Is is this a realtor that's wanting to build or the owner that No, this is just an individual that bought the lot. He's actually stayed in a camper on the lot right now until he can build his house. So, but you didn't receive any objection from anybody. No, I had a couple phone calls from the neighboring subdivision. They just wanted to know what the variance was for, and I I told them it was for a rear setback. So, Okay. Thank you.

So, the the next the other little bitty lot when somebody wants to do it, it'll be treated the same way. Um,

yeah, we don't know. No, I mean we don't know what the soils are like on that lot or if if the house would have to be pushed back or that lot hasn't been evaluated. So I don't I don't know what'll happen with that one or if anybody will ever want to build on it or South Blunt will buy. I mean I don't know. Do Cameron Cameron I I before we unless y'all have other comments or questions regarding I I I have a question u and it pertains to what Stan was saying these little substandard lots that you know you say they've been here for a long long time will Kinsel Springs is that Kinsel Springs development

this isn't part of Kinsel Springs. It's before the the neighborhood signed. It's before you actually get to the subdivision. Okay. So, it's not It wasn't It was there before the Yeah. Okay. I was misunderstanding. And there's also a I mean, obviously that other lot and there's another piece in there as well. That's small. It's irregular shaped and small. Are these I mean, I'm beginning to get a little bit. My question is how much of this stuff is still out there? Undeveloped substandard lots? Probably a lot. I mean, think Top of the World probably has hundreds of lots that are substandard.

Okay. That was just my I just wanted you to comment on that just briefly. But anyway, most of these lots up this road look like they're they're built on. I mean, the one next to this one um that was brought up. I mean, I don't think there was anything on that one, but for the most part, all these lots look like they were built on. Yeah. Okay. When you look at this map, it shows that little substandard lot goes up into South Blunt's property. When you look at this one, it's straight across adjoining. It comes across. Yeah, I think he's talking about this one. Uh

yeah, I see I see what you mean. The this colored map that I printed off is from our GIS systems. I mean it it those lines can be off. What we go by is this stamped site plan by a surveyor. But I see what you mean though. What happens if if slopes, if that's their name, what happens if they come in and say, "Well, you guys let that guy build within five foot of line. I want to build within five foot of the line, but they got plenty of room. It looks like I mean, this gentleman that's applying for this variance has a reason to build 5 foot from the line. I don't know if this neighboring parcel I mean, they they already have a house on there, so I don't know if they'd have a reason to to ask for it.

So, we would have to take it on its own merit. Absolutely. Yeah. Gotcha. Okay. Is there any more comment, gentlemen? Okay. Is there a motion? I make a motion that we uh approve the variance request in accordance with 11-6F. They have been met. Second.

We have a motion and a second. Motion passes. Motion passes. We'd like to thank the police officers for being here tonight. We always enjoy you guys being here because a couple of meetings over our tenure. You were here. We had wish you had been here at the start. Just want you just want you to know that we appreciate it.

We should have been selling popcorn that night. We'd have made some money. Um before do do we have any other business that we need to address? Cameron. Yes, sir. Okay. Well, gentlemen, uh if we don't have any more business, entertain a motion to adjourn. Motion has two and you'll see this later.