Jim Fair
Phil Pickett, Amy Macks and Jan Keith sign in to speak at Monday night's City Planning Commission meeting.
Jim Fair
Annexation, narrow county roads, steep land elevation and the saturation of new housing near Abner Creek Elementary were the concerns residents voiced to commissioners.
Jim Fair
Chuck Langston, owner of Langston-Black Real Estate, could relax Monday night knowing the sale of Riverside Baptist Church property and rezoning of RM-1, residential multi-family, was a formality.
This plan site shows the configuration for 102 new homes to be built at 3006 Bushy Creek Road and Alexander Road.
Commissioners, swayed by the concerns of residents speaking against the annexation at Snow and Burns roads approved the measure 4-3, but reduced the zoning request to R-15 single family that limits new houses to 175. The requested R-12 zoning would have allowed 217 homes.
Commissioners Don Foster, Judy Jones, Suzanne Traenkle and Brian Martin voted for annexation and the R-15 zoning. Clay Jones, Chris Harrison an Morris Burton voted against the revised zoning.
Approximately 35 acres were approved for annexation at Brushy Creek and Alexander roads that would accommodate 102 new homes and Riverside Baptist Church is selling six acres for 57 new homes adjacent to its property. Brushy Creek is zoned R-12, residential single family cluster, and the Townes at Riverside Park, is RM-1, residential multi-family.
“This is only January so I see this as just the beginning,” said Morris Burton, Planning Commission chairman. “I don’t know where all these people are coming from. They appear to have the lots sold as quickly as they develop them.”
City Council will give the recommendations two readings with the first scheduled Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. It can approve, disapprove or modify the requests.
Chuck Langston, owner of Langston-Black Real Estate, told commissioners Riverside Baptist Church does not want to be in the real estate market. “The church is doing extremely well and growing. They are just moving their assets,” Langston said. The church parking remains intact and a playground may be re-located.
Brian Martin, noting a century-old tree located on the rezoned property, asked the developer to, “Save that tree. That is a massive tree we can’t replace.”
The Brushy Creek/Alexander roads annexation will demolish and remove a lone structure. One resident voiced his concern of Watkins Circle and Marshall Drive becoming more of a thoroughfare for drivers to avoid Brushy Creek Road at morning and evening traffic peaks.
Nine residents from the Snow Road community spoke against the annexation for the new subdivision. Annexation, narrow county roads, steep land elevation and the saturation of new housing near Abner Creek Elementary were the concerns residents voiced to commissioners.
Phil Pickett, a retired school teacher, told commissioners the land elevation was a concern for storm water runoff and a hilly road would make the increased travel on the narrow road unsafe. “The more important fact we have in this area is tremendous elevation,” Pickett said.
“Snow Road is well above the pond and the road goes way up and way down. The road is more of a feeder to Abner Creek Elementary and BMW,” Pickett said, asking the residents for an “Amen” with most voicing their approval and raising their hands.
Amy Macks, Jan Keith and Perry Garrett echoed Pickett’s concerns. They all made it clear to the commissioners they did not want their properties, outside of the planned subdivision, to be annexed into the city.
Commissioner Chris Harrison told the residents city council has been sensitive to residents not wanting to be annexed. “I am not aware of any (property owner) being annexed when they didn’t want to be,” Harrison said.
Pickett was reassured that the 75-25 rule (75 percent property owners requesting annexation) has not been used to force residents to be annexed against their will.
Correction: This article reflects that R-12 single family zoning allows up to 217 new homes and R-15 allows for 175 homes.