Rezoning approved over strong opposition

With two new members on the Marshall County zoning board, community opposition to rezoning of a 94-acre tract of land in the Barringer Road and Farley Road was approved unanimously.

The rezoning request by John Porter of the parcel has met strong community opposition because residents are concerned about the density of the housing the developer will build, about increased traffic, flooding and other concerns. There were seven objections to the rezoning of the property from RE to R3 and the names of 15 additional objectors not included in the original seven were received at zoning.

The zoning board reminded the community group that the rezoning does not have any bearing on the developer’s plans to construct new homes on the property.

Kurt Sanders was appointed by District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker to replace Joe Hurdle on the zoning board. David Johnson was appointed by District 5 supervisor Ronnie O’Neil Bennett to replace J.R. Wilson. At the February 5 board of supervisors meeting, Bennett replaced his zoning board appointee with Greg Work. The other members of the zoning board are Bobby Bonds representing District 3, Clista Ash representing District 1 and Kent Falkner representing District 4.

Robert Reaves, of Arlington, Tenn., spoke first representing John Porter.

Reaves said the development would have 45 homes on the site and have smaller lots than those usually built in Residential Estates zones.

“We also have an industrial site nearby,” he said, adding that industrial workers will want to live closer to their employer.

“You could actually do it with one-acre lots, and with one-acre lots it could be with no rezoning,” Sanders said.

“How many houses do you propose to put in there?” Ash asked.

“We don’t know,” Reaves said. “You don’t know what you are building?” Ash asked. Zoning administrator Ken Jones explained that the developer does not want to draw up plans for the development until it first gets the property rezoned. “We are here for rezoning today and don’t have a set of plans,” Reaves said. “We know it’s going to be houses only,” Jones said.

Reaves said it would be single family residential with public water and sewer, curbs and gutters.

“It seems like you should have plans,” Bonds said.

Zoning board president Kent Falkner asked if there were any objections.

The community response has been well organized from the start and different members of those residents living in the Farley Ridge subdivision took turns explaining the community’s position.

Michael Whitson, a 27-year resident of Farley Ridge, owns six parcels totaling 34 acres across the road from the prospective development.

He had a petition with 100 signatures opposing the rezoning and said 60 percent of the residents in Farley Ridge oppose the rezoning.

His main points were that there must be a public need (for housing in this case) and the character of the neighborhood has changed.

He said the need for housing in Marshall County already has been met. He cited 400 homes at Cayce Point 500 homes at Twin Lakes, subdivisions already approved. The city of Byhalia just approved a large subdivision south of I-22 and an apartment complex north of I-22.

“These already approved developments will meet the housing need for North Marshall County for years,” Whitson said.

Porter said about 150 houses have been sold in the price range of $230,000, with sewer and smaller lots.

“You have to get $140,000 to $150,000 to make a profit on it,” he said. “We will put in curb and gutter, sewer and water. We know there is a need.”

He said everyone cannot afford half-million dollar homes.

Jones said the 94 acres, under the R3 zoning, can also be used for industrial development.

Maureen Whitson said the 94 acres should be zoned for industrial.

Michael Whitson said he has been in the area 25 years before Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park was developed and he argued that with the trail there has been a change in the character of the area.

Porter interjected that he has half-milliondollar houses and lots “just sitting there.” This supported his assertion that more affordable housing is needed.

Kayla Crisp argued that addition of 400 new homes on Barringer Road will amount to a traffic load on the road of one vehicle every eight and a half seconds.

Susan Walker, who owns 13 acres on Landen Circle, addressed the current problem with floodwaters and silting on her property making about half her property on the back side unusable. She said silting is now taking place in Nonconnah Creek which makes it carry off less stormwater runoff and also silts the Coldwater River. She said the land is sandy and very erodible and soil is carried off in the water beginning all the way up to Wingo Road.

“It’s asphalt and concrete and does not adsorb water. It just increases the velocity coming down,” she said.

Tracey Talley, who lives across the road from one of Porter’s housing projects on Barringer Road, said she is “a direct victim of present construction.”

“We would prefer it stay RE to protect from flooding of all this water,” she said. “We want to grow, but we want to grow healthy.

“We have substantial housing development already approved. I think we’ve had too many.” She said there are a variety of prices and styles already available in the county.

“Even the board of supervisors said `we’re approving these too fast,’ “ she said.

Bonds said he recently walked down Barringer.

And the stormwater drains on Barringer are already three-fourth full of silt.

“We have to sustain our growth in a smart and slower way,” Talley said. “We’re saturated (in housing).” “It’s booming,” Bonds said. “It’s changing.

You can’t stop people buying the land and doing something.” One last cry for help came from Daryl Rowley, who said when he bought his lot there was just a trickle of water.

“I can’t make a move because of water,” Rowley said. “Farley Ridge is like a river. How can we build more houses when we can’t take care of what we have. I can’t believe this is going on. What about us? I’m stuck and it’s like nobody cares. I dug a pond to catch water and I still can’t build a house. Mud, trash, everything comes across my property.”

Porter said he is totally in compliance. He said he put $3 million in the county sewer project in the area.

“One-half acre lots make no sense whatever,” he said. “The math just doesn’t work. We’re doing single housing and detached lots.”

Falkner called for the end of discussion. “I don’t think zoning is going to have a solution to the flooding problem no matter what he (Porter) does,” Falkner said. Bonds made a move in favor of the rezoning. “It’s happening, it’s going to happen,” he said about further development. Sanders seconded his motion and the board approved the rezoning by unanimous vote.