WESTOVER – Having heard from more than a dozen residents in recent weeks – the overwhelming majority of which own property on Savannah Street and Florida Avenue – Westover City Council has denied a zoning change request by Freedom Collision Center.
The matter first appeared before council on May 4, when John Highlander, representing the business, explained a zoning change from R1 (residential) to C (commercial) was being sought for a portion of a 1.32 acre parcel that sits behind the Fairmont Road auto body shop in order to construct a 26,000 square-foot fenced parking area.
Council unanimously approved the zoning change on first reading.
In response, 14 people showed up to offer comments during a public hearing held prior to council’s May 18 meeting, which included a second reading and potential adoption of the zoning change.
Without exception, each of the speakers – including 11 neighboring property owners along Florida Avenue and Savannah Street – asked council to deny the request citing fears that included known stormwater issues in the area, impacts to property values and concerns over the core of the primarily residential block potentially becoming an eyesore.
As part of the subsequent council meeting, the body voted unanimously to table the issue, pushing it to Monday night’s agenda meeting, where it was ultimately denied on a 6-0 vote.
Despite the large crowd on hand Monday to hear the council’s ruling, only one public speaker weighed in on the zoning request prior to the vote.
“Whatever the goal is for this particular property, although it seems like it may benefit a single owner at this time, perhaps there are intentions that would benefit the community as a greater whole given the long-term eyesore that such a business has had for our community, especially at such a primary intersection,” Shae Strait said. “I would hope that whatever future changes are requested are for the benefit of the greater good, and not just for that one property owner.”
In other Westover news, Thrasher Group’s Casey Young said the project to replace the city’s Dunkard Avenue pump station should be completely wrapped up in the next month or so.
“The power pole was set this morning. Power should be at the site. If it wasn’t before they left today, it should be set tomorrow, so that site should have power hopefully by tomorrow, which means we can do a pump startup. Depending on supplier schedules for the generator, the electrical transfer switch and all that stuff, hopefully by the end of next week we can get that scheduled to be on site. If not, it’ll be the third week of June. So we’re almost done,” Young said. “I’m anticipating, as far as the cleanup, site ready, pavement done – first week of July, right after the holiday is when I think everything will be completed and they’ll be out of there.”
