Zoning amendments that propose to create a City Core Overlay (CCO) in the South Maney Avenue Zoning Study area were very favorably received by about 50 people who attended a neighborhood meeting Wednesday (7/25/2012) night in the Patterson Park Community Center.

Murfreesboro Planning Director Joseph Aydelott said that he was well pleased with the turnout for the meeting and that most of the people who attended were excited about the proposed changes.

The Director appealed to the attendees to share with him and the Planning Staff any ideas they have for changing the proposed overlay regulations and invited them to contact him by telephone at (615) 893-6441 or by email at jaydelott@murfreesborotn.gov to discuss how the regulations would apply to particular properties.

What Is Core Overlay?

He noted,  “An overlay district (in this case a City Core Overlay or CCO) is a zoning district that ‘overlays’ other existing zoning districts,” Aydelott explained. “This overlay may apply additional regulations or even lessen existing regulations.

“Some examples include the H-1 (East Main Historic Zoning District) and the GDO (Gateway Design Overlay District),” he added. “In the case of the CCO district, we are looking to exclude some uses that would be allowed in the underlying zones and to generally relax some of the other zoning requirements that are generally applicable such as setbacks, parking, and landscaping.”
   
“I think that so far the overwhelming response has been very positive,” he said, “and that there is considerable enthusiasm about the proposed changes from most of the stakeholders.”

One supporter even put his support for the plan in writing.

Habitat for Humanity' Views

Roy Saylor is Construction Manager for Habitat for Humanity. He admitted the ‘official’ opinion would be that of agency Director Beth Smith but that he still wanted to lend his support.

“Thank you for considering the typical challenges of Habitat in the development of this plan,” he wrote. “These changes will be very beneficial to our mission.  I really did not hear anything that we “Habitat” would not be supportive of. Allowing a wider set of options on how property owners can use or build on their property, with less hoops to jump through and less costs can only be a good thing, in my opinion.”

What Are Next Phases?

During the meeting, Aydelott discussed the next phases of the project and the time frame for adopting amendments to the zoning ordinance.

He indicated that the period for receiving comments for changing the proposed amendments would remain open for the next month after which he anticipated making a report to the Planning Commission.

If there were no significant changes proposed, he said, he would recommend that the Planning Commission schedule a public hearing to gain additional public input prior to making a recommendation on the proposed amendments to Murfreesboro City Council.

This public hearing could be as soon as early this October, he said. A recommendation to the City Council would follow. 

As with any zoning amendment the matter would also require a public hearing by Council and adoption of ordinances.