Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

This is Blunt County Planning Commission. I'm Daryl Tupton, chairman. Before we get started, we do have an emergency evacuation announcement. Okay, I will call the meeting to order and have the roll call.

You do have a quorum. And we do have a quorum. Uh we'll begin by having approval of the minutes from the September 25th meeting. Do we have a motion to approve? We have a motion by Commissioner Giles, second by Commissioner Bright. If you're ready to vote, please do so.

That motion passes. The motion passes. Minister approved. We don't have any public hearings tonight. This is where we have the uh input from items on the agenda. Public input. If you if you're here to talk about an item that's on the agenda, and we have an agenda over there. If you haven't gotten one, now's the time to step up and be heard. come up and share your name and your address.

John Harry Roth John. Uh 844 Ford Street. Mr. Chairman, I couldn't hear if you were asking for items on the agenda or not on the agenda. On the agenda. All right. the uh the discussion with regards to u open space and cluster development. I u like all of you are concerned about making more affordable homes available to more people in Blunt County. And uh looking at the notes from the discussion that was at the last month uh regarding efforts to reduce the amount of of green space on the development. Uh I you know I applaud that effort but only if it would be incentivized by increasing the number of bedrooms on the development. In other words, if you're at trying to build, let's say, four bedroomedroom town houses that you're going to sell for $500,000, I'm going to keep it at 40%. But if you want to build two-bedroom town houses and you're selling them at $300,000, I'm going to let you go away get away with 30%. In that way, maybe there would be an incentive for the developer to consider making more affordable homes in Blum County in their development package. So, I thank you for your time and attention. Is there a time after the

meeting to speak on items not on the agenda? Mr. Chairman, it's not on if it's on the agenda, we'll cover that at the end of the meeting. Okay. Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.

Okay. Is that any better? Okay. Next. Next item on is there any anyone else for public hearing on items on the agenda? Anyone else? Seeing none, we'll go to the site plan. Uh Mr. Buckner, can you help us with that?

Yes, sir. This uh site plan is for Kingdom Custom at 2307 and 2309 Mitchell Avenue. This is an expansion of a non-conforming use, which means the um the business and the structure predate the adoption of the zoning regulations. Um in this case, the site plan just illustrates the the addition of a 2100 square foot um shop building. Um, that's basically all we look at these expansion and non-conformings just to make sure it meets the setbacks. So, I can take any questions if you have them.

Do we have a motion to approve this with the conditions? We have a motion by Commissioner Bright, second by Commissioner Whale. Now, do we have any questions? Seeing none, if you're ready to vote, please do so. Motion passes. That brings us down to um no concept plans, no preliminary plates on major subdivisions. Final plats on major subdivisions. We do have some of those. Mr. Hancock, you want to help us with those? Yes sir. Uh the first item is actually item C1 final plat preliminary. Uh this is a Goulsby property lots 5R1 through 5R5 off Old Niles Ferry Road um by Jeremy and Cara Cry. five lots, four lots to be served off a proposed common driveway easement and one has uh road frontage. Outstanding items to be completed are on page three. One is the completion of all on-site construction including erosion controls on all exposed areas. Number two is a copy of the notorized maintenance agreement for the maintenance of the common driveway and cluster mailbox. Number three, signature plats including the environmental health department, electric utility and water utility signatures. Uh, number four, environmental health department review fee and the platting fee. And that's all I have. Do we have a motion to approve this with conditions? We have a motion by Commissioner Mars,

second by Commissioner Bright. Now, is there any questions or comments? Commissioner Giles. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, Mr. Hancock, where is this located? I I couldn't by looking at the notes earlier today, I couldn't tell. Where is this particular parcel of land located at? Old Niles Ferry. How far? So, so if you go to the very low end or the farthest end of past Brick Mill, if you turn on Brick Mill and then turn on the last section of Old Niles Ferry. So, it's way outside of It's way out there. Yeah.

Okay. Good deal. And and I want to be clear is on this plat it's showing that a piece of the property that it joins is owned by a family the Giles family. Okay. To the best of my knowledge that's not that's not my family and I I don't know I don't know who those folks are. Okay. In case there was any question. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions, comments? Seeing none, if you're ready to vote, please do so.

Motion passes. Doug,

uh, the next item is item C2. This is actually a final plat as well. This is the best property off Smokemont Drive by Roger and Robin Best. There's four lots served off proposed common driveway. uh the outstanding items to be completed on page two. Number one is completion and final inspection of all on-site construction including installation of a turnaround uh removal of communication lines and erosion controls. Number two is copy of notorized maintenance agreement for maintenance of the common driveway. Uh number three is signature plats including environmental health department electric and water utilities. Uh number four is environmental health department review fee and the platting fee. And some of these items have been taken care of, but we'll make sure that everything on the list gets checked off. If you have any questions, I will answer them.

I have a motion to approve conditions by Commissioner Wells. I have a second by Commissioner Bright. Now, are there any questions or comments? Commissioner Mlelen, Smokemont M Drive, was that a public uh road before? Yes. Was it has it been officially closed or whatever? The rideway.

So, briefly, Smokemont Drive actually ends where the common driveway begins. It originally went to the back of the property, but the county the highway department gave that back to the previous owners before the best bought it. they abandoned it and we went through that process in this body. Any other questions, comments? Seeing none, if you're ready to vote, please do so. Motion passes. Doug, item three.

Okay, it's item E1. This a preliminary and final plat for Carl Cromwell property off Meiser Station Road by Carl Cromwell. There's four lots along the county road. Outstanding items to be completed. Uh signature plats with all certifications including environmental health department, electric and water. And number two is the environmental health department review fee and the platting fee. That's it.

Do we have a motion to approve conditions? We have a motion by Commissioner Wells, a second by Commissioner Giles. Any questions? Seeing none, if you if you're ready to vote, please do so. Motion passes. Doug, item four.

Yes. Item item E2 is preliminary and final plat for tracks 10 to 12 of the preserve at Butcher Ridge off Morgan Road by MP Land Holdings. Uh there's three lots off the county road and a remainder greater than 5 acres. Outstanding items to be completed are number one, signature plats with all certifications including environmental health department electric and water utilities. Number two, environmental health department review fee and the platting fee. And that's all.

Do we have a motion to approve of conditions? We have a motion by Commissioner Bright. We have a second by Commissioner Hannah. Are there any questions? Seeing none, if you're ready to vote, please do so. Motion passes. Okay, that takes us down to mis miscellaneous items. Doug, we're on um item E3. We have a couple more.

Ready? Okay. Item E3 is another preliminary and final plat. This is the replat of lot two of the Valentine Estates off Block House Road by Lacy Hill and Herold Brewster. There's three lots along the county road. Outstanding items to be completed are number one, signature plats with all certifications, including environmental health department, electric and water. Water is available, so we'll scratch that if available. Uh number two, environmental health department review fee and platting fee. That's all, Mr. Chairman. Do we have a motion to approve the conditions? We have a motion by Commissioner Bryant, second by Commissioner Wells. Commissioner Mlen, you have a question?

Yes. This land to the west that's uh got a title issue. Is that will that be recorded as part of this plat as a question of ownership? What are we referring to on the west side there? It says hiatus created by PL. Oh no. Yeah, I talked to the surveyor. He explained it to me. I don't know that I can explain it. Well, um I can't even see what that says. Says a possible title. uh held by.

Yeah. So when I spoke spoke to the surveyor, he explained to me that they're just noting it on the plat and that was their only obligation. They're just noting the fact that there is one. He's not saying it's an overlap or a gap. He's just saying there's a question.

Yeah. Whatever that language is he used is what he explained is all that they're require he's required to do. I wasn't going to question him. He's a surveyor putting his stamp on it. So, but I did ask him about it because I thought it was odd. I've never seen that before. If you want a better explanation, you can defer the plot and ask have the surveyor show up and answer it. But answer.

Okay. Are there any questions? Seeing none, if you're ready, please vote.

Motion passes. I think that brings the miscellaneous items. I didn't understand. But we have I'm on item E4. Got item four a while ago. I'm on item E4 and then we have a miscellaneous item after this. Item four then I I can't hear you, Mr. Chair. I say item four.

Preliminary and final plat replat of lot two of the Ronald Young and Edward Young property off Hutton Ridge Road by Kevin and Tracy Pitts. There's two lots off the county road and a remainder greater than 5 acres. Outstanding items to be completed are number one, signature plats with all certifications including the environmental health department, electric and water utilities. And number two is environmental health department review fee and the platting fee. That's it. Do we have a motion to approve with conditions? Motion by Commissioner Mars, second by Commissioner Jiles. Now, are there any questions? Seeing none, if you're ready, please vote. Motion passes. Now we're finally ready for miscellaneous items. Doug, I've been I've been trying to get that all evening. You

been waiting all night for this one, haven't we? Go ahead.

Miscellaneous item one. Um lot 58R Oliver Pickkins Farm subdivision off Walker Avenue by Rosa Cruz. Uh there's a variance request a lot size. So if you look at the plats 57 and 58, uh they're simply taking the lot line out in the middle. Um the minimum lot size in this in this zone is uh 3/4 of an acre or 32, uh 670 ft for standard lot. Uh the combined lot here is 17,115 square ft. So there is a variance indicated. Um the environmental health department has reviewed this and they actually um already have a septic layout. So they they said it will work and um the envir the outstanding items to be completed are on page two. One is the consideration of the variance to minimum lot size by the planning commission. Uh number two is corrections to the plat as supplied to the surveyor. Uh number three is signature plats with all required certifications, environmental health department review fee, platting fee and the variance request fee. And there are no um BZA variance considerations to lot size. So it just goes to the planning commission. That's it.

Okay. Okay. Do we have a motion to approve the conditions? Have a motion by Commissioner Bryant, a second by Commissioner Franklin. Are there any questions? Any questions or comments? Yes, sir. Commissioner. Commissioner Giles.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I need some more information on this particular one. I'm I'm not sure that I'm clear on I was looking at it this afternoon and played with it several times, but I couldn't get to where I needed to be on this thing. Am I reading that when you combine those two lots that were just it's a little bit over 17,000 square feet? Yes, sir. And we're we're saying the minimum today's minimum is almost 32,670. Is that correct? Yes, sir. That's correct. So, what what kind of issues are we opening up by approving something like this? That's goodness gracious almost less than what

Well, we're actually improving a situation because if we don't combine the lots, they're individual lots, right? They're they're about half the size and they may try to build on those. They're actually improving the situation. These are old lots of record. I think they were platted a very long time ago. I don't want to say how long ago, but a very long time ago. There's no information on the plat. They're just small platted lots. There's no certifications on the plat other than what was signed by a surveyor. So, they go way way back. We have these all over the county. They have them in every jurisdiction and routinely in our jurisdiction. We the zoning regulations actually encourages these substandard lots to be combined.

Yes, sir. So, they don't go to the BZA for a density issue because they have a blanket statement in the zoning that says it doesn't even go to the BZA because you're making an improvement. Yes, sir. I'm aware of that. So, I don't know if I've answered your question or not. It did. That that helped tremendously. And that's that's what I thought. They're not asking for any sort of permission to build on this. And if they ever chose to do something with this lot, they would have to come back to this commission to get approval to build something. Is that correct? We're just looking at combining the these two lots. No, once you combine the two lots, they'll record the plat and then they'll get a building permit. They won't come back to the planning commission. They'll simply get a building permit which will cover a septic permit and they'll be allowed to start construction.

Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Any other questions? If you're not, please vote if you're please vote if you're ready. passes.

Uh motion does pass. Let's see. We don't have any long range planning tonight. Uh any reports from officers? Tom, you got anything? Thomas? That brings us to unfinished business cluster development discussion. I guess we'll this for discussion and action on changes in section 7.2 cluster development. Uh I think we had an extended conversation on this last week but I open for discussion. I'll open the for a motion.

Commissioner Wales. Um, I'd make a motion that we u vote on it as is to make a uh recommendation back to the county commission. We have a motion to approve the resolution as is. Is that correct? I'm sorry. My motion was to vote on it as is, not to approve it. That would come out in the vote. So So we're not voting to approve this resolution. Well, that would that would be accurate if you want to say it that way. if you want to okay whe whether to approve it or not.

Our motion your motion then is basically leave things the way they are to vote on it as is. Yeah.

My comment with there was to say that I think the the the county commission has sent it back to the planning commission. we've debated some things and if um if we want to address cluster development I guess in total um in in some other format um and suggest some other format that that would be done independently of what was sent to us uh spoke with our chairman about this and I think it's a matter of if we don't want to um or s don't want to suggest that what was sent should be approved then we can vote um and would send an unfavorable recommendation and if that was the case or approve it as is uh my so I'm I'm making a motion that we vote on it as it's written. I have a personal comment on that once we get to that point.

Okay, we have a motion by Commissioner Wells. Do we have a second? So So you're saying to the percentage be 35% and 40%. Is that what you're saying? What the what the commission recommended? That's what the commission sent. Yes. Okay. Then I'm not I'm not sure what you're saying. Sorry. Okay. The the resolution as it's written, I'm asking that we vote on it as it is. Okay. Thank you.

Do we have do we have any other questions? Do we have a second? We have a second by Commissioner Franklin. Now, do we have any discussion? Commissioner Wells.

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. I but I think we've got to vote on it like it is in order to do something with it to send it back with a favorable or unfavorable recommendation back to the county commission. Um I think that's procedurally the right approach. I do not however believe this is significant enough change to do anything with it. So I'll vote against it. Um I I don't see it this dropping 5% in the suburbanizing is significant enough of a reason to make an adjustment to our cluster development program. Um, I do believe we ought to revisit the cluster development program in its entirety, but that's for another day and another season, you might say. U might take a season to get that uh really figured out. So, rather than belabor this and it's staying on our agenda for six more months. I think it's I think it would be the best approach to do that. But again, I won't vote for it because I think it's not significant enough change and I don't want to show that that's the case by voting for it. Thanks. Commissioner Jiles.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, I'm sensing there's a little bit of confusion on what we're voting on in terms of percentages and so forth. Um, and I will include myself in that that confusion. So ju just to be clear, we are voting on this to talk about a 35% for the gross project area in the suburbanizing zones and 40% and 40% in R1 and R2, which is exactly what the county commission um recommended. And what we're voting on tonight is whether or not to take these numbers and shift that back up to the commission. We're That's correct.

Thank you. Any other question, comments? Seeing none, if you're ready, please vote. Motion failed. Okay, this brings us down to um any other new business.

Yep, Mr. Chairman. So I think the motion that was just made was a favorable recommendation on this amendment which failed. So maybe in the interest of keeping it clear maybe if we had a motion to make an unfavorable recommendation and see if that passes so that we have something to send back. Okay. I don't want to speak out of turn, but I believe that we were counseledled against doing that very thing that uh we don't do favorable, we don't do unfavorable. We just vote on it as it is, and that creates the favorable and the unfavorable condition. Okay, fair enough.

Okay, that'll work. Thank you. Very good.

That brings us down to um public input, Harry. Public input items not on the agenda. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good to see you. Um, I believe that your committee is uh created by the county commission and that all committees according to the bylaws, the rules of the county commission conform to the meetings uh regulations and requirements of the county commission. Oh, I got somebody shaking their head saying no. That you're not required to conform to the meeting rules of regulations of the county commission.

Commission, I'm sorry. I I hope I'm not out of turn, but um the the planning commission has their own bywalls. They're set up separate from the county commission. It has its own statutes from the legislature and stuff. So, it's independent. Say what? It's it's independent of the county commission committees. It's not a committee of the county commission. It is the planning commission which is set up separately. That's my understanding. Well, I know I know my ears aren't as young as they used to be, but I would like to be educated since I made the effort to come up here.

Yeah, we we could do it afterwards. I'm happy to sit down with you and we can look at it if that's okay with you.

Sure. So I thank you for that education. But then uh in the in the consideration of of uh informing the people who come to your meeting, I think it would behoove you, Mr. chairman to consider putting your names and your email address and your phone numbers on the letter head of your agenda just like the county commission does to show that you are available to serve and you're here at the public's request. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, sir. Any other comments? Seeing none, are we ready to adjourn the meeting? Have a motion to adjourn. All favor say I.