Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everyone. On behalf of the city of Independence, I welcome you to the Planning Commission meeting for October 13, 2026. Before we begin, let's stand and say Pledge of Allegiance.

Before we begin tonight just wanted to say for all of those who expect to speak or think they might speak tonight we would ask that you keep your comments brief and on point. Address me, the chair, when you have questions. And to expedite tonight's meeting, I would ask all those who are going to speak or testify, who thinks they might speak or testify, go ahead and stand so that you can be sworn in. Raise your right hand Do you solemnly swear to tell the whole truth before this commission? If so, please answer I do Thank you very much.

Okay. Second. Thank you. I'll just ask if anybody had any comments or any questions about it. If not, let's go ahead and take the vote.

Yes. Minutes are approved as written. Okay. Our first public hearing tonight is Case 26-100-11, Corrective Rezoning, Truman Road and Chrysler Avenue. Would the city give their report, please?

Thank you, Brian. Anybody have questions? Chair?

Any other commissioners have questions? OK. I'm going to open it up for public hearing. Is there anyone here that would like to speak in favor of this case? OK. Is there anyone here who is opposed?

I don't see anyone trying to gain access to the podium, so I'm going to close the public hearing.

Second. Got a first and a second. Unless there are any other questions, I believe we're ready to take a vote on this, Brian.

Yes, and Vice Chairman Asheville Yes Case number 26 100-11 clerk directive rezoning Truman Road and Chrysler Avenue has been approved six to nothing Move on to the next case which is Case number 26, 12506, rezoning PUD 1509 South Osage Street. Would the city give their report, please?

I've never seen that building in Independence. There's some old ones around, though.

Thank you, Brian. Questions? Chair? Yes, Commissioner.

Any other questions from the commissioners before we call the applicant forward? Okay. The applicant's here, I assume. Okay. Please come forward. State your name and your current address you're residing for the record, please.

Thank you. What would you like us to know about this application?

Do the commissioners have any other questions of the applicant? Is there anything else you want to tell us? I mean, we can always call you up or ask you questions as we go along.

All right. Well, if there's nothing else you want to tell us, you're welcome to be seated. Okay. We may call you up later. Do you – I think we should ask City what –

So, Brian, what initiated all this to begin with?

Okay, thank you. Any other questions of staff before we move along? Okay. And sir, I'm just asking you, You don't necessarily want to say anything else, right? I'm not forcing you. I'm just asking. Just as a courtesy.

Remain there, Commissioner Savick, if you have a question.

I think, honestly, just from this case, hearing it, it seems reasonable for approval with the caveats of following the development plan. I don't know if that's something that you necessarily are prepared to take on, if the risk is worth the reward. But I think that you have a use case, and I understand the why. I think it's reasonable for approval, I understand, but this is obviously a special case, so.

Okay. All right. Thank you. It's time I'm going to open this up for a public comment if there is any. Is there anybody here who would like to speak in favor of this case? Okay. Okay. Seeing no one. Oh. If you speak, you have to speak up here, and you have to give me your name and your current address.

Okay. Well, thank you very much. Anything else you'd like to add?

Okay, thank you. Okay, just making sure, is anyone else here like to speak in favor of this case? Okay, anyone here would like to speak against this case? Okay, I don't see anybody, so I'm going to go ahead and close the public portion of this hearing in this case and would ask for a motion.

Okay. Any other questions from the commissioners?

Okay, I'm sure all the commissioners understand this, right?

Second. Thank you, Commissioner Torres. Unless there's any other questions, comments, et cetera, I believe we're ready to take the vote.

With regards to agreeing with what my fellow commissioner has stated, by following the laid out conditions in the docket here, I'll be voting yes for this.

Yes. Yes. So case number 26-125-06, rezoning PUD of 1509 South St. Street, passes four to one. Five to one.

Thank you. Good luck, sir and madam. We'll move along to our next case, which is case number 26-200-05 special use permit for 3239 South Nolan Road. We have the report, please.

Thank you, Rick. Any commissioners have questions? Okay, with that, please come forward. State your name and address for the record, please. Make sure the green light's on.

Yeah, I've been there. It's amazing how you guys are able to move that around. It's really tight. So I'm happy that's working out for you. So anybody else have questions of the applicant while he's here? Okay. Thank you very much, sir. I'm going to open it up for the public hearing. Is there anyone here that would like to speak in favor of this case? Okay. Is there anyone here who would like to speak in opposition of this case? All right. I see nobody trying to do either one. I'm going to go ahead and close the public hearing. Ask the commissioners if they want to make motions or comments.

Thank you. Second? Second. Commissioner Torres seconds. We got a first and a second. We're ready. We're ready to roll.

Yes. Case number 26205, special use permit for, and this is right, 3237, correct? No, 39. Hello, guys. Listen to me. What's the actual address I'm supposed to be reading here? 32 39 South no 32 39 South Nolan Road has been approved six to zero Thank you, sir. Good luck to you All right next case case 26 200 06 special use permit 1202 West 24 highway Yeah, the applicant for this is our Roger Ruse and

Okay. Brian, what number do we have approved currently?

Okay. And I don't recall what the cap is. I'm sorry.

Okay. Any questions of staff before we bring the applicant forward? Nope. All right. Would the applicant please come forward? Make sure you state your name and address, please.

Thank you. Feel free to tell us anything you'd like us to know about your shop, your planned shop.

Okay. Well, thank you very much for saying that. Would anybody like to ask questions? Okay. Well, thank you very much. Thank you guys for your time. Sure. Okay. Any questions of the city staff or anybody? Okay. I'm going to go ahead and open up the public portion of this case. Is there anyone here who would like to speak in favor of this case? Okay, is there anyone, do you want to? Sure, come on up. You raised your hand, right? Okay, great. Go ahead. Tell us your name and address, please.

Is there anyone else here who would like to speak in favor? Okay. Is there anyone here who would be opposed? Okay. I'm going to go ahead and close the public hearing and would like a motion, please. Sure. Bingo.

I'd like to make a motion that we approve case number 26-200-06, special use permit at 1202 West US Highway 24.

Thank you. Do I have a second? Second. All right. I have a first and a second. We're ready for the vote.

Yes and vice chairman Ashbaugh Yes case 26 206 special use permit at 1202 West US 24 highway has been approved 6 to 0 Good luck to you folks. Thank you for coming All right our next case is is case 26-17505, UDO amendment number 20, number 82, sorry, residential infill development. I can't wait.

I'm sorry. I'm just looking. I mean, I like this too. In that overlay zone that we created earlier for the Englewood area, how would this apply in that?

whatever they'd want to build on there might affect that. So if they had plans on doing that, you'd have to say, well, if you're going to do that, then this would overlap and you'd have to build it this way.

But this one would become the main driver and not the other one?

Yeah. All right. Any other questions of staff?

I may be splitting hairs here. I also think this is very reasonable, but I was just wondering if you could provide some additional context on why you landed on the 135% maximum. Is that based off anything?

Understood. Thank you. And as long as staff finds that reasonable as well to not get into the oversized infill builds, I feel like that's reasonable.

So you don't want somebody to build a house that puts somebody in permanent shade, in other words?

Okay. I'm going to open up the public hearing. Anybody here would like to speak in favor of this case? Okay. Anybody here would like to speak in opposition? All right. Closing public hearing.

Second? Second. Thank you, Commissioner Savick. All right. Ready to take the vote?

Yes. Case 26-175-05, UDO amendment number 82, residential infill has been passed 6-0. Does this go on to the city council for approval, Rick? Yeah, okay. Thank you. Well, last but not least, case 26-175-06, UDO amendment number 83, board of adjustment and preliminary plat approval expiration.

Okay. Thank you. Any questions of staff? All right. I'm going to open the public hearing again. Is there anyone here who would like to speak in favor of this case? Is there anyone here who is opposed to this case? Okay. I'm going to close public hearing. Chair? Yes, I do have a question before. Okay. Yes. I don't mean any offense by this. I'm just curious. Do you guys use AI to rewrite these sometimes?

Well, nothing, I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with that. I like what you're doing, though, that you're not just saying.

Second. Thank you. Commissioner Young has a second. We are ready for the vote.

Yes. Case number 2617506, UDO Amendment number 83, Board of Adjustment and Preliminary Platten Approval Expiration has been approved 6-0. Does anyone have anything they would like to bring up for this evening before we adjourn? Okay. We stand adjourned at 7.13 p.m.