BLYTHEWOOD – A rezoning request for a 4.56 acre parcel on McLean Road that stirred controversy at the September Planning Commission meeting sailed through the Commission’s Oct. 12 meeting with an unopposed, unanimous recommendation for approval.
The owners of the Rural (RU) zoned parcel, Wright and Gray Partnership, initially applied for Town Center (TC) zoning which is the second highest of the Town’s six commercial zoning districts. Owners of an adjoining property spoke out against having commercial zoning next door. During that meeting, the neighbors suggested they might be interested in purchasing the 4.56 acres. At Monday’s meeting, NIA Avant realtor Tombo Milliken, who is representing the Partnership, told the Commission that he had sent a letter to the neighbors offering the land for sale, but had received no response and was, therefore, proceeding with the rezoning request.
No one signed up to speak in opposition to the rezoning.
Milliken also told Commissioners that the applicant had decided to request Multi-neighborhood Commercial (MC) zoning for the 4.56 acres instead of TC zoning. That zoning is one step less intensive than TC zoning.
Milliken added that 1.3 acres of the property are wetlands, making only 2.7 acres usable for development since .5 acres is separated from the usable 2.7 acres by the wetlands. He also pointed out that the 2.7 acres was on the opposite side of the property from the neighbor’s property line creating a considerable distance between the usable property and the neighbor’s property.
“Because of the required 50-foot set-back required around wetlands,” Milliken said, “any structure built on the rezoned property would likely be at least 300 feet from the home on the neighbor’s property.”
Asked by the commission what might be built on the property, Milliken said, “We don’t know. We do not have a site plan because we don’t have a user.”
But he speculated that a professional building would be suitable for the property.
The Commission voted unanimously to recommend the MC rezoning to Town Council, which will meet on Oct. 26.
