Planning commission hears of rezoning petition
GENTRY — The planning commission on Thursday set a public hearing for its September meeting for public comment on a proposal to rezone a portion of the city north of Main Street and east of Collins Avenue from R-3 (heavy density residential) to R-2 (medium density residential).
The September meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, in the City Council Chambers.
The area in question takes in those residential properties on E. Benton and E. Crawford Streets between Railroad Avenue and N. Collins Ave., though discussion included possibly adding the homes all the way to McKee Drive on the north.
The matter was brought to the planning commission by a petition circulated by James Furgason of Gentry. The petition included some 64 signatures of residents and landowners in the affected area. Furgason and area residents became concerned when construction began on a four-plex within the zoned area, and many didn’t know the zoning allowed the construction of multifamily units in the area. He said the zoning change occurred in 1991 and most were unaware of it.
Furgason argued that the area is the oldest housing area in the city and should be kept as singlefamily homes because of the historic value of preserving the old homes.
Also discussed at the suggestion of commission member Jay Williams was eventually creating a historic zoning overlay that could be added to certain zones to preserve properties of historic significance.
Commission chairman Mike Parks said he believed the area zoned RO (residential/office) should be preserved in the area north of the Main Street alley and to the homes on Arkansas Street.
All agreed that the current construction project is legal under the current zoning but that action possibly should be taken to preserve the area as a singlefamily residential area.
Changing the property back to R-2 would still allow the construction of duplexes but not other larger apartment complexes. The commission could recommend that the property be rezoned as R-1 and allow only single-family homes to be built in the area.
Williams suggested that if the area’s zoning is changed back to R-2, the later addition of a historic overlay could protect the area from being used to build multi-family homes.
In other matters, a request was heard from Tim Ellis to grant a variance to allow a building permit to be issued to remodel a vacant house located at 417 S. Giles Ave. which does not meet city setback requirements. With no action to grant the exception, the matter died and a building permit cannot be granted.
According to information presented to the commission, Tim Ellis requested the exception to remodel the property and move his tenants from a condemned property at 317 S. Collins Ave.
Janie Parks, executive director of the Gentry Chamber of Commerce, reported that a new barbershop had opened on Main Street and will be having a ribboncutting soon.
She also told the commission that a professional master plan will be prepared for downtown revitalization, thanks to a grant from the Gentry United Way. She said input is being sought for the revitalization of the downtown district and that the Chamber of Commerce and property owners would be working together on the plans.