By Scott Buttram, publisher
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville Planning and Zoning Committee on Monday night denied a request by developer David Stovall to rezone a parcel of property on U.S. Highway 11 from R2 residential to a combination of C2 commercial and RG residential garden homes. The property is located across the highway from the Winn-Dixie shopping center which is zoned C2.
Citing concerns with the C2 designation, P&Z member Jef Freeman moved that the zoning be denied and the motion carried with a split 4-3 vote.
The property is bordered by homes on Dew Drive and Birch Street. Many residents from those neighborhoods and others from around Trussville attended the meeting to object to the rezoning proposal.
Sandy Mills, president of the homeowners association for Calumet Downs, expressed concerns about traffic through Calumet. She mentioned safety issues with neighborhood children as speeders cut through the subdivision. Mills said she would like to see a traffic plan for Highway 11 before more subdivisions are approved.
Among the concerns from others in attendance were water drainage, lighting from commercial development, the appropriateness of a gas station, losing mature trees, and traffic on Highway 11.
Stovall was requesting that the portion closest to Highway 11 be rezoned to C2 commercial and the rear portion to be rezoned from R2 single family residential to RG single family garden home residential. He said residential lots would be in the range of 60 feet by 120 feet, above the garden home minimum, and carry a price tag of $75-100,000 per lot.
It was the C2 commercial zoning that seemed to be of concern for some P&Z members who asked Stovall if he had considered C1 zoning. Board member Ryan Dawkins asked Stovall if he would consider a qualifier that would remove some permissible C2 businesses from consideration.
Dawkins listed several types of businesses allowed under C2 zoning that concerned him.
The only commitments for the commercial portion of the property currently in place are with the Trussville Board of Education and a gas station and convenience store. Under C1 zoning, the BOE would be permissible, but the gas station and convenience store would require a special exemption from the Board of Zoning and Adjustments.
The rezoning request could still go before the city council, if the developer chooses.
In other board action, Phase 10B of the Stockton subdivision was approved for an additional 80 homes. P&Z members asked about drainage easements, which the developer said would be handled by HOA.
The board approved subdividing a lot for Dollar General to build a freestanding building between to O’Reilly Auto Parts and Dr. David Dobbs’ dentist office. Dollar General will move from the current downtown location to the new freestanding store.