The Greene County Planning Committee will be presented a proposed resolution in December related to adjustments in zoning regulations which if approved would be forwarded to the full County Commission for their consideration.
The proposal was a result of the first ever meeting of the special committee on land and property issues. The meeting was held Wednesday afternoon in the Takoma conference room at the Greene County Administration Center.
COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION
The county mayor had appointed a group of commissioners to serve on the committee following the October meeting of the County Commission.
Nike Gunter was elected Chairman, Lyle Parton Vice-Chairman and Pam Carpenter Secretary.
Other board members are Tim White and Lisa Anderson.
BOARD OBJECTIVE
The board was organized after comments from Frank and Nancy Gioeni during the October commission meeting.
The couple had purchased property on Parsonage Lane near Bewley’s Chapel Church in 2022 not having been told it had been illegally subdivided previously. Since the property does not have the required 50-foot road frontage, a building permit cannot be issued under current guidelines to allow for construction of a home.
TWO OTHER ISSUES ADDRESSED
Two other landowners with somewhat similar situations had requested to speak with the committee Wednesday.
LARRY PORTER
Larry Porter owns property on Dykes Hill Road in Limestone where a residence is already located and falls under zoning guideline prior to the update in 1984. But to remove that home and place a larger one in that location would not be allowed under current zoning requirements.
MOTION FOR RESOLUTION
Lyle Parton eventually made the motion to amend the county’s zoning to allow for a single building permit for the construction of a primary residence to be issued for owners of landlocked properties only if the property had an existing right-of-way easement prior to yesterday’s meeting date. The motion also requires the property and easement to have been surveyed and verified through an attorney that the property does have the required easement.
NANCY LAUGHLIN
Nancy Laughlin lives on the family property on Horace Bitner Road in Chuckey. It was the committee’s opinion that the Laughlin property already had a deeded easement prior to the 1984 update prohibiting building off of easements. Laughlin has already taken her complaint to court and received a ruling. It was the committee opinion Laughlin should be able to secure a building permit. She is hopeful the information garnered at the meeting will assist in her argument with the courts over use of the property.
UTILITIES
No matter what action is finally taken by the committee and/or the full commission if it reaches them, committee members advised property owners there would be other required hurdles, specifically as it pertains to water, sewer and electricity. Those utilities as required to follow mandated guidelines before providing services.
NEXT MEETING
The committee will meet again on Thursday, December 4th at 3:30 pm at the same location to review verbiage in the resolution prior to presentation to the planning commission on Tuesday, December 9th. Approval then would allow for the resolution to be placed on the agenda for the December 15th meeting of the full commission.
