Planners to address Belmont district

Shelbyville's planning commission will look over several rezoning requests when it meets next Thursday, including one in a historic district that may provoke discussion.

James Farrar is requesting that property at 507 Belmont Ave. be rezoned from R-3 (medium density residential) to R-4 (high density residential), which would be contrary to the region's current land use plan, according to comments by the city's planning and engineering staff.

However, while rezoning might be contrary to the current plan, "nonconforming, multi-family uses," where large old homes have been converted to apartment use without permission, already exist along the street.

But the recent interest and involvement in the Belmont Historical District have also boosted improvements in this part of Shelbyville, the planning staff says, "suggesting the revitalization of this historic area with renovations of existing homes, counter to multi-family use."

Last week, the city council approved adding a number of homes to the existing Belmont Historical District.

The planning and engineering staff states that allowing the multi-family use would require an amendment to the Land Use Plan, which would require consideration as to how Belmont Avenue is redeveloped.

"The multi-family use can conflict with the historical-residential use," the comments state. "Unrestricted multi-family could affect adversely the character of the neighborhood, but multi-family consistent with the character of Belmont could enhance it."

The planning commission has several courses of action it could take, the staff says the commission:

* Approve the re-zoning to R-4 and amend the Land Use Plan to allow R-4 on Belmont.

* Deny the request as inconsistent with the Land Use Plan.

* Consider recommendation of a Planned Unit Development with a design consistent "with the historical residential character of the neighborhood."

The planning and engineering staff is also recommending the denial of another rezoning request.

John Keith Jackson is asking that 640 and 642 Deery St. be rezoned from R-3 (medium density residential) to R-4 (high density residential), however, the staff recommends for denial "on the basis of encroachment into a single family residential area."

"These parcels must also stay in agreement with the current Land Use Plan as Low Density Residential," the staff comments read.

Another rezoning request, made by Mike Bauer to rezone two parcels in Sanders Estate Subdivision from R-1 (low density residential) to R-2 (low density residential) contained no snags and was recommended for approval by the planning and engineering staff.

The commission will meet next Thursday at 6 p.m. at the courtroom of the City Hall Annex at the Shelbyville police station.