E-mail
PrintCOLUMBIA — The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved three annexation requests for properties in north Columbia on Thursday night.
The three requests, all for planned industrial zoning, stem from a 1999 annexation agreement with the property owners, Diamond Capital Development, Last Enterprises and Material Service Company. The properties were set to be annexed once sewer lines were extended to them, and they became contiguous with the city.
Planning Director Tim Teddy said the sewer lines were actually extended to the properties shortly after the agreement. Pat Zenner, development services manager, said the land became contiguous to the city a few years ago, but it was only brought to the attention of the city this year while public works was conducting sewer work in the area.
There are no development plans for the properties yet, but the owners indicated that they would likely be developed for light manufacturing and distributing facilities.
The commission's unanimous vote means there will be no public hearing at a City Council meeting. It will be placed on the consent agenda.
Because of a tied vote, the commission also made no decision on a request to rezone an acre of land on Forum Boulevard. The commission saw the request to establish a planned residential development on the vacant land in May and recommended denial because it thought four units on the land was too dense.
The applicant, Ted Littell, reduced the number of units on the land to three, and won over some of the commission.
Commissioner David Brodsky said the proposal, which would use an empty piece of land surrounded by other houses, was a good thing.
"I think infill is good for our community," he said. "We have a lot of unused places. I'd like to see this more."
Although neighbors of the property showed up at the meeting, no one spoke about the proposal.
Commissioner Helen Anthony said the development was still too dense.
"I could maybe support two dwellings, but I certainly can't support three," she said.
The tied vote means no recommendation will be sent to the council, who will hold a public hearing at its next meeting.
Comments