County P&Z hears rezoning request

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by Patty Cheffey

Clearing up an oversight and preparing for the future is the goal of Blessing Foundation’s rezoning request, heard last week during the Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

Jerry Jackson of Blessing Foundation, was present at the meeting, to make the request to rezone 5.66 acres from A-1 agriculture to C-2 commercial.

The rezoning, which was co-requested by Blessing Foundation and APT Real Estate Holdings, LLC, will affect property owned by the Blessing Foundation off Leeser Road, south of Palmyra.

According to Jackson, a third party is interested in purchasing 2.47 acres for another medical-related facility.

It was while investigation that possibility, it was discovered the property owned by Blessing had never been rezoned from ag to commercial over 20 years ago.

“This will just allow us to clean it up,” said Charles Webster, planning and zoning chairman of the rezoning if it is approved. “At the time, they followed all of the correct set back rules, so that is all good.”

Also present at the meeting were Pam and Lewis Smith who own the white barn and surrounding property just east and north of the proposed rezoning site, who just wanted to confirm their property would not be affected by the zoning change.

Webster assured them it would not, and noted should they ever want to rezone it to commercial, they would need to be the ones to make the request.

Webster also read a letter from Lesser Transportation in support of the Blessing request.

A second hearing on the proposal will be held April 28, at 7 p.m.

In other business, Webster and Teya Stice, county improvement coordinator, reported they are working on ordinance to add to the planning and zoning regulations to deal with solar power and with medical marijuana as they have received requests for information on those recently.

Webster also reported to the rest of the board the commission had upheld their recommendation to deny the Matt Courtney request to rezone some of his property to commercial to allow a paintball field. He did not know if they might hear the request again.

Following the meeting, the board recognized Tom Rupp, an outgoing board member, for his years of service to the board.