Newbern planning commission rejects request for rezoning

The Newbern Municipal-Regional Planning Commission made several decisions this month on street acceptance and rezoning.

Absent from the meeting were commissioner Jerry Leach, Joe Prichard, Mayor K.W. Dennison and Chairman Steve McDonald. Commissioner Barry Little served as chairman.

The board agreed to have an acceptance policy for street and easement acceptance, in which the legislative body would vote on the acceptance before a street becomes the city's.

There had been some confusion in the past about when a street was made public.

State of Tennessee community planner Chris Pate said he appreciated the current administration asking for the proper and legal avenue for acceptance.

Next, the commission recommended accepting Pine Hill and Church Grove Road, which will go before the Newbern Board of Mayor and Aldermen for final acceptance.

Commissioner John Gentry made a motion to accept Crowne Point, but rescinded it to allow city recorder Jason Roberts time to contact the city attorney about who would be liable for the ornate entrance way and the liability of any structure in the right of way.

Finally, general contractor Mike Ward requested the rezoning of the north end of Granite Drive from R-3 (single-family, high-density residential) to R-4 (high-density residential). He is intending to build nine four-plexes on the property.

Pate recommended against the rezoning of the property because The Municipal Future Development Plan from 2005 depicts this area as Medium-Moderate Density Residential. It is adjacent to Gray Stone and Crowne Point, which are considered Low Density and Single Family Residential districts.

Ward presented the committee with his proposal for construction.

Bill Davis, a guest of the meeting, then gave his opinion of the proposal and was against the change in zoning.

Commissioner Gentry made the motion not to rezone based on the current plan and the land-use pattern. Commissioner Kirby Ogden seconded it and it passed unanimously.