The BOCC routinely hears petitions to amend the county’s Comprehensive Plan or Future Land Use Maps (FLUM). Applicants appear before the Planning and Zoning Commission, which then provides a recommendation to the BOCC. Often, the requests are granted without comment.
Stuart Rogers, of Dewberry Engineers, represented Triple Eagle Group, Inc.’s application involving a 2.96-acre parcel of recreation property in Sherman Hills, located in Ridge Manor at the BOCC meeting on Aug. 9, 2016. The proposed change involved two parts – first, to change the county’s comprehensive plan from a recreational to residential designation; second, to allow the developer to build an apartment complex with up to 38 units on that parcel. Approval from 4 of 5 commissioners would be needed.
Several Sherman Hills residents opposed to the rezoning petition, stating proper notice was not given due to placement of the signs, the number of seasonal residents who could not attend the prior hearing before the P & Z, and that the proposed two-story multi-family units were incompatible with the single story homes of the golfing community. Others spoke in favor of the rezoning because of opportunities for new residents.
In his rebuttal, Rogers noted that most of the objections were related to the multi-family units and not to the comprehensive plan amendment from recreation to residential use. A community meeting attended by 30-40 members, Rogers said, showed that notice was given.
Commissioner Diane Rowden, echoing comments from residents, expressed concern for the intensity of the use. The private road could not handle the additional traffic. Commissioner Nick Nicholson read a lengthy statement firmly objecting to the change, citing the Comprehensive Plan’s description of “step-down” construction of multi-family units did not apply.
Nicholson proposed a motion to deny the Comprehensive Plan change, and Rowden seconded. The BOCC voted to deny the change, with Dukes voting for it, since he said that the applicant could propose a density that would be compatible with the other single family homes, something that is usually done when a property is changed from agricultural to residential. However, because the Comprehensive Plan change was denied, Rogers withdrew the application.