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Planning commission rescinds ordinance

October 03, 2007|Brittany Griffin

At a public hearing last night where no one from the public spoke, the Winchester-Clark County Planning Commission voted to rescind an ordinance that sparked much debate from developers and Realtors.

The joint garage protrusion ordinance prohibited garages from protruding from the front of homes. During a meeting this summer of a now-defunct committee, formed to study the benefits of splitting the joint planning commission, developer Troy Thompson said the ordinance so severely restricted floor plans for 40-foot wide R-1E lots that Ball Homes pulled out of developing in Clark County. R-1E lots are the densest single-family residential housing allowed, and also the most popular.

Comments made before that committee led to a new committee, formed to review the garage ordinance. Their final recommendation was to rescind the ordinance. At the Sept. 11 planning meeting, a hearing was held on those recommendations, and the overwhelming view expressed from developers was to eliminate it.

So, that's what the planning commission did in a 2-4 vote last night, with Commissioners Clare Sipple and Doug Christopher voting against the motion. Commissioners Garry Taylor and Larry Disney were absent.

"I am very sorry that our one and only design ordinance has been overturned after all that discussion that we had," Sipple said.

The commission's vote will now go to the city commission and fiscal court for final approval.

In other business, the commission:

- tabled a public hearing for a final development plan of Mallard Place, a subdivision planned for 1631 McClure Road, because no one representing the plan showed up to answer questions.

Several issues remain from the preliminary development plan, which was approved in January. The commission needs to see the state Transportation Department's approval for the development's entrance, as well as stormwater drainage plans, off-street parking arrangements, and also needs clearer details of their allotment for green space.

The plan is for 27 lots on 13.78 acres, with extra space for 81 possible lots. Should the subdivision expand, turn lanes would need to be added to McClure Road to accommodate the extra traffic. Quadriplexes would be built on the lots, with four homes all adjoining. The lots would share driveways. The subdivision also would not receive city services.

The next meeting will be Nov. 6.

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