Closer look at proposed design guidelines

Sunday, April 26, 2009
By Brian Mosely

With just enough members to hold a meeting, the Shelbyville Planning Commission swiftly approved several items, while postponing examination of design guidelines until next month.

The commission had planned to begin review of the 18 pages of guidelines, which are intended to be only recommendations to firms and individuals submitting site plans to the city.

However, a motion was made to put off discussion for a month so that all members can be present to review them.

The commission will review six pages a month and, after they are passed, the commission will also act as a design review commission, and will give feedback to builders on site plans and take a more active role in the process.

The design guidelines will give builders an idea of what is expected or favored by the city. Commission members will also look over how the proposed guidelines are currently written and over the next several meetings, will make adjustments.

Several members expressed concern about how the guidelines were to be worded, pointing out that the difference between "should" and "will" can be a big issue with some who might want to build here.

The commission also gave a recommendation that the county approve Wartrace and Bell Buckle to form their own regional planning commissions for the areas included in their urban growth boundaries.

A site plan was approved, upon verification of paperwork, for The Ridge at Shelbyville, which is planned to be a 74-unit, three-building residential complex to be located on Anthony Road.

The complex will be 31,638 square feet, with a 766-square-foot clubhouse, a swimming pool and playground to be placed on 12.23 acres of land. The request was made by Richsmith Development LLC.

Also approved was an annexation request by Grady Cunningham for 2506 Highway 231 North. Cunningham had tried unsuccessfully on three different occasions to ask the county to rezone the property as commercial.

The commission also asked members to pray for city recorder Betty Lamb, whose husband passed away suddenly Thursday morning.

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so it is not binding if adopted/why adopt the guidelines then

-- Posted by grandpat on Sun, Apr 26, 2009, at 5:38 AM

Obviously the Planning commission is lacking a sense of urgency lately. When plans to review 18 pages of guidelines are on the agenda, and barely enough members show up to hold the meeting, they obviously have turned their interests to items other than city business.

-- Posted by superx1250 on Mon, Apr 27, 2009, at 11:38 AM

I think that if they are not made to be specific codes for building in the city and are only suggestions, then we will be wasting the commisson members time and the city's money. Why would any potential entity wanting to build in the city put themself through a series of reviews and question and answer sessions with politicians and local soapbox carriers who can walk on crumbling buildings without fear! When as long as they meet the code for building requirements within the correct zoning, the planning commission must allow the building.

-- Posted by bedfordnative on Tue, Apr 28, 2009, at 10:07 AM