McKenzie Planning Commission Discusses Zoning Revisions

McKENZIE (May 28) — The McKenzie Municipal-Regional Planning Commission met Wednesday afternoon to discuss proposed revisions to the Zoning Ordinance and a request to split a property into two lots.

Community Planner Donny Bunton of the Northwest Tennessee Development District was present to review the proposed ordinance changes, which are primarily intended to make the language more efficient and clear.

The proposed changes include reformatting of page numbers to a continuous numbering system, condensing of the sign ordinance and landscaping regulations, addition of wording for clarification on RVs and travel trailers, addition of recently adopted fencing requirements and addition of site plan requirements for industrial zoning districts.

Chairman Carol Nanney noted the importance of getting the ordinance finalized and online for citizens to access.

The urgency of the issue was reinforced by a citizen who brought forth concerns. Billy Burson is a recent transplant to McKenzie. After checking the regulations as they appear online, he had a fence built in his front yard on Diamond Drive and later discovered that the wording he saw online was out of date.

Both the ordinance changes and the individual issue of Burson's fence will be addressed at the June meeting. Commission members expressed their intentions to assess the fence in person prior to that meeting.

A final plat has been submitted that splits a 3.367 acre lot from a parent tract, leaving the parent tract at 14 acres. The property, owned by Verdie Beasley, is zoned R-1 (Low Density Residential), has water and sewer access and is not in a designated flood hazard area.

Bunton expressed his only concern, a potential zoning compliance issue. A barn on the property would remain in the parent tract as the proposed lines are drawn, but Bunton suggested the lines be redrawn to include the barn in the new lot, where it would be in compliance. He noted that if the barn is being used as part of an ongoing agricultural operation, it would be exempt from the regulations.

Commission member Sandi Roditis recused herself from voting on the issue due to her connections to it, which, coupled with the absence of members Tim Beeler and AJ Maxwell, prevented a voting quorum. The issue will be revisited in June.

The meeting adjourned in around 45 minutes.