At Monday’s county commission meeting, commissioners denied a rezoning request in the Oak Park community.
Prudencio Reynoso had submitted an application to rezone .66 acres at 56 Elm Street from Commercial to Warehouse Light Industrial. The property is vacant and sits at the corner of Highway 221 North and Elm Street. Mr. Reynoso had plans to manufacture cargo trailers if commissioners approved the request.
Both the Planning Commission and county staff had recommended that the request be denied, primarily because though zoned Commercial, the property surrounding the tract is residential. During the public hearing, no one spoke either for or against the request. Mr. Reynoso’s attorney presented his side of the matter.
After commissioners closed the public hearing, the board unanimously voted to deny the rezoning request.
The commission also heard the first reading of another rezoning request, this one for just under six acres at 1493 Old Nicholls Road, from R2 Residential to PD Planned Development. The purpose for the request is to construct a migrant home.
As with the previous request, the recommendation from both the Planning Commission and staff is to reject the request due to poor roads in the area and nearby residences. The commission did not take any action on this request. It will hold the second reading and public hearing at a later meeting, after which commissioners will then vote.
Among the other items the county discussed was the Improving Neighborhood Outcomes in Disproportionally Impacted Communities Grant. The county applied for $2 million for improvements to the recreation soccer facilities; the county received $2.2 million. The city also applied for and received funds to make improvements to Roundtree Park ($693,640.23) and the Huckaby complex ($1,684.207.80). The commission unanimously gave commission chairman Ted O’Steen the authority to execute the documents related to the county’s portion of the grant. The city commission will take care of the documents related to the funds it received at its next meeting (it’s already on the agenda).
Commissioners also approved the purchase of a motor grader for the road department. The county will finance the grader from Truist at 4.09 percent interest for five years. The cost of the grader is $295,000. The ACCG solicited bids for the purchase on the county’s behalf.