The Starkville Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday voted against a developer”s request to rezone 4.88 acres off Highway 12 East for a multimillion dollar commercial development.
The property is located adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn on the west side of Highway 12, about one-third mile south of Pat Station Road.
Development Enterprises requested the rezoning from a R-1 single-family zone to a C-2 commercial zone. Andy Gaston, who described himself as an officer with Development Enterprises, represented the project in front of the Planning and Zoning Commission, but would not disclose what business wants to open on the property.
“I”m not at liberty to divulge the entity or the business, other than it is a hospitality, industrial-type industry,” Gaston said. “In other words, they will be involved in the (city”s) 2 percent food and beverage tax and/or bed tax in addition to the sales tax.”
“The business wants to keep the entity confidential at this time,” he added.
The project is estimated to cost $5 million-$7 million and create more than 20 full-time jobs, City Planner Ben Griffith said. The land is currently woodlands and pecan orchards.
Three grounds for a zoning change include a scrivener”s error, a change in the character of the surrounding neighborhood or a public need.
In moving to recommend the city”s Board of Aldermen deny the rezoning request, commission member Jerry Emison called the proposed project a “strip commercial development” and cited the city”s comprehensive plan, which discourages strip commercial developments.
Gaston, however, countered, saying, “This is not going to be a strip mall.”
Emison also said he is afraid the eastern section of Highway 12, between Mississippi State University and Highway 82, will end up congested like the section of Highway 12 between MSU and Walmart. Additionally, Emison said the city already has enough undeveloped commercial land “to last the next 200 years.”
“There is no public need,” Emison said.
Development Enterprises has five business days to appeal the planning and zoning commission”s recommendation for denial. The planning and zoning commission only acts as an advisory body to the city”s Board of Aldermen and the rezoning request ultimately must go before aldermen.
Emison was joined in voting against the rezoning request by fellow planning and zoning commission members Jason Walker, Jeremy Murdock and John Moor. Only Planning and Zoning Commission members James Hicks and Ira Loveless supported Development Enterprises” request. Outgoing chairman Dora Herring did not vote.
Other business
In other business Tuesday, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend aldermen approve a final subdivision plat for Firestation Business Park, located northwest of the intersection of Jackson Street and Garrard Road. The land”s owners are not yet making changes on the property, although the center of its three lots may be developed in the future.
The vote Tuesday was necessary to get the land platted and recorded.
The Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday also elected Emison to serve as chairman for the next year. Herring, the current chairperson, was elected to serve as vice chair.
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