JACKSON ALDERMEN HEAR REZONING DEBATE

JACKSON -- Over 60 people crowded into the Jackson Board of Aldermen meeting room Monday night for a rezoning hearing about tracts of land along East Jackson Boulevard.

The properties extend from the Highway 25 intersection eastward to near the intersection with the Old Cape Road.

Aldermen took no action Monday night on the requested rezoning. City officials said the board may act on the rezoning issue in early March.

The planning and zoning commission has recommended most of the tracts be rezoned from R-1 to C-1, with others to be rezoned from R-1 to C-2 and R-1 to R-3.

The greatest number of the tracts proposed to be rezoned, R-1 to C-1, is located on East Jackson, from Ford Groves and Brennecke's, eastward to Sav-A-Lot Food Store and the East Jackson intersection with Shawnee.

The hearing was conducted by Jackson Mayor Carlton Meyer. Most of those attending the hearing were property owners, who live in the area and support the proposed rezoning.

Judy Jaco, 1011 East Jackson Blvd., said houses on lots that front on East Jackson are no longer suitable for residential use because of the widening of the highway to five lanes. "I opposed it (widening) at first, but then I accepted it for what it will do for the city of Jackson," said Jaco.

She said rezoning will allow the property owners to sell their properties for commercial development. Jaco said all but two of the 34 property owners in that area support the proposed rezoning.

Paul Conklin said he and other property owners on East Jackson had put up with "aggravation and sacrifice" for the widening of the main artery, and were now asking the city to help them by rezoning their properties.

Gerald McElrath said he was already surrounded by commercial development near East Jackson and Gerald.

Opposition was voiced by Charles Koch, 1211 Pawnee, in the Indian Hills subdivision. Koch pointed out that one of the lots that fronts on East Jackson also fronts on Highland Drive. Koch expressed fear this would be detrimental to residents along Highland Drive. A resident, who lives on Gerald, also noted that some of the tracts being proposed for C-1 zoning were not physically suitable at this time for commercial development.

There was also opposition to the proposed rezoning from R-1 to R-3 of a tract located at 977 Donna Drive and East Jackson. It is also the main entrance to the Kimbeland First Subdivision.

Spokesman Gary Robbins said residents along Donna strongly oppose rezoning of the tract, owned by Mike and Joyce Baker, because it might create a commercial development "domino effect" on adjoining residential property.

Robbins said the Kimbeland residents also opposed the recent rezoning of a tract of land east of the Golden Corral Steak House for the same reason. Construction of a Sonic restaurant is scheduled to begin there this spring.

In his remarks, Robbins questioned whether the property owners supported rezoning for progress or profit. "Is it screw your buddy time?" he asked. "What about the neighbors who live behind them?"

Robbins urged the board not to rezone the Baker tract, saying, "We don't want one of the finest subdivisions in Jackson to be eroded. We want you to protect our subdivision."

There was no opposition voiced to proposed rezoning of tracts of land between McDonald's Restaurant and the intersection of Old Cape Road.

After closing the 60-minute hearing, Meyer said the council will take the issue under advisement and study the comments made during the hearing, along with the P&Z's recommendations.

He said the board will "hopefully, in two weeks, vote on the recommendations, either in parcels, or as an entire area."

Meyer said the board can change some of the recommendations to a lower zoning classification, for example from C-1 to R-3, "but we cannot go from an R-3 to a C-1," he added.

In response to a question from the audience, the mayor said restrictions contained in subdivision covenants are not enforceable by the city ... only by the residents and the developer. "We did not write them (restrictions)," the mayor added.

Alderman Paul Sander told the property owners that the board can consider some of the rezoning recommendations on an individual basis. "It may or may not be voted on as a total package," he said.