City building guidelines near planning commission vote

Shelbyville's planning commission concluded its review of design guidelines Thursday and will vote on the document's final approval next month.

The guidelines are intended to be only recommendations to firms and individuals submitting site plans to the city, and, if approved, the commission would also act as a design review commission, giving feedback to builders on site plans and taking a more active role in the process.

Commission member and city council Al Stephenson expressed his reservations about the guidelines, saying there are "too many restrictions" contained in the document.

However, his argument was countered by chairman Morton Renegar, who said that Shelbyville needed to "get things in order" so that the city could compete with Murfreesboro for new businesses.

The commission has been reviewing the guidelines for the past three months, but 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.

Henry Wilhoite told fellow commissioners last month that builders were "not happy" with the guidelines and wanted to table the 18-page document for two years, but he rescinded that motion shortly after last month's meeting.

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

City planning and codes director Kip Green said the next step will be to make all the revisions recommended by the commission and then vote on the document. After that, the guidelines will be presented to the Shelbyville city council for approval.

In other business, the commission approved a request from Cook's Pest Control for a site plan at 1403 Madison St.

The plan calls for a parking lot expansion, office renovation and adding approximately 3,000 square feet to their building.

A site plan for El Mexico Restaurant, a 6,132 square foot building at 720 N. Main St. requested by Herlberto Ayala Guzman, was also approved.

Site plans for a 6,444 square foot commercial building at 2215 N. Main St. were approved as well.

Also given approval were expansions of the Belmont Avenue Historic Zoning District and Frierson-Eakin Historic District.

Residents had asked that 419 and 503 Belmont Ave. be added to that district while the owner of 516 Deery St. requested addition to the Frierson-Eakin district.