Delay sought for city building guidelines

Henry Wilhoite told fellow commissioners that builders were "not happy" with the guidelines which are to be recommendations to firms and individuals submitting site plans to the city. The design guidelines will give builders an idea of what is expected or favored by Shelbyville.

The commission has been reviewing the guidelines for the past two months, however, some members have 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.

Wilhoite wanted to table the 18-page document for two years, and that motion will be on the agenda for next month's meeting.

He said the guidelines would make builders pass their costs along to the homeowner and will drive off businesses wanting to locate in Shelbyville.

Chairman Morton Renegar said that he understood the concern of builders, but that certain elements of the design process "[have] to be controlled." Commission member Allen Pitner added that while the guidelines may mean extra costs, "it is worth it in the long run."

The group have been reviewing six pages of the document each month and, if the guidelines 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.

Members have agreed in previous meetings that the guidelines should not have too many restrictions, but at the same time, should encourage more green space.

Rezoning matters

After hearing concerns from neighbors on Belmont Avenue, a builder said he will build a single family home on a vacant lot instead of a planned apartment.

James Farrar had requested that property at 507 Belmont Ave. be rezoned from R-3 (medium density residential) to R-4 (high density residential). But the city's planning and engineering staff said that would be contrary to the region's current land use plan.

Large old homes on the street have already been converted to apartment use without permission and a group of Belmont residents said they were worried about more apartments and the traffic it would bring.

Neighbors said they want to preserve the district, while admitting the road "has junk as well as nice houses." Farrar asked which houses the neighbors would like his structure to look like, pointing out that surrounding properties are either dilapidated or had burned.

In fact, a house that held several apartments on the lot where Farrar wants to build had burned two years ago. The lot has since been cleared.

The commission suggested that Farrar withdraw his rezoning request and come back asking for a Planned Unit Development with a design consistent "with the historical residential character of the neighborhood."

However, after hearing the objections of the neighbors, Farrar said he would withdraw the request and build a single family dwelling instead.

Another rezoning request concerning other proposed apartments died after the commission took no action.

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

Jackson wanted to build two apartment buildings with five units each, but commissioners were concerned about setting a precedent if that did so.

Several members pointed out that if Fairfield Pike is widened in the future, the apartments would be too close to the road. Jackson said that the planned units would be an improvement over what was previously on the lot, but no motion was made to approve the request.

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), was approved by the commission.