City to rule on Spires tonight
Rome commissioners also plan a closed session for the annual evaluation of City Manager Sammy Rich.
Berry College is seeking to annex its planned $130 million continuing care retirement community into the city of Rome — and despite the fact that The Spires property will be tax-exempt, city commissioners appear poised to approve it tonight.
“It will bring a lot of affluent citizens to our city, and it would be a first step to unifying Berry with Rome,” Mayor Jamie Doss said during a caucus discussion last week.
Public hearings are scheduled tonight on three land-use applications from Berry, along with several other proposed rezonings and special-use permits.
A controversial plan for a recreational vehicle park on Black’s Bluff Road will be heard, but the property owners want to withdraw the application.
“There are some issues with sanitary sewer and other items, and they want to take a step back and see what’s going to work for them,” RomeFloyd Planning Director Artagus Newell said.
The request from Gene and Tamara Suits drew heavy opposition at the planning commission level, from neighboring property owners and the South Rome Redevelopment Corp., and netted a recommendation that it not be approved.
Commissioners must hold the public hearing as advertised, City Attorney Andy Davis said. However, “you can let people know you intend to honor the withdrawal request,” he said.
The Suitses are asking to withdraw without prejudice, which means the project could be brought back as early as June 2018 instead waiting a full 12 months.
City commissioners did not indicate last week which way they were leaning.
Also on the agenda is a request from Holston Gases to put two 30,000-gallon petroleum storage tanks on property in an industrial area at 1809 Parrish Drive, and a rezoning request to allow townhomes to replace the old Hoyt House at 603 W. First St. The site plan for the Hoyt property also would have to be approved by the Historic Preservation Commission.
Commissioners caucus at 5 p.m. and start their regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall, 601 Broad St. Both sessions are public.
The board also plans a closed session, beginning at 4 p.m., for the annual evaluation of City Manager Sammy Rich.
During the regular meeting, the board also is slated to adopt the 2018 budgets, with no property tax increase planned, and discuss an extension of the tax breaks granted in connection with the Courtyard by Marriott under construction on West Third Street.
The city approved Tax Allocation District financing for Duke Hospitality to build the estimated $14.6 million hotel as part of the revitalization effort targeting the area across the Oostanaula River from downtown Rome.
The TAD agreement would funnel $2.5 million in taxes back into the project over 12 years, but the hotel was supposed to be open by the end of the year.
Rich said he would recommend a 60-day extension of the deadline.