Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 115 No. 31	July 30, 2008

Fiscal Court reverses planning action; issues zoning denial

By LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

The zoning for a proposed bookkeeping business expansion was denied by a 4-3 Fiscal Court vote July 8.

Casting dissenting votes on the zoning motion from R-1, residential to B-2 neighborhood business were Magistrates Tom Goddard, Herbie Chism and Tony Staples. They were joined by Judge Executive Harry Craycroft.

The applicant, Carol Whitworth, sought to expand her home-based tax and bookkeeping service to a separate existing structure on the parcel, Planning and Zoning administrator Charles (Tony) Coletta said.

The new structure would be used as an administrative and customer service facility.

Coletta recommended the commission deny the application, saying the in-home business was appropriate, a stand-alone business within the residential area wouldn’t be consistent with the subdivision’s nature.

“The (planning) commission did consider my recommendation, but they still recommended it be approved,” Coletta said.

Commissioners also debated the definition of “neighborhood business” with the majority agreeing the business met that requirement and the zoning request should be granted.

“She is going to have to build a new building or place a structure on the property,” Coletta said. The facility planned for renovations would be unable to meet necessary code rules.

Casting dissenting votes at the Planning and Zoning level were members Reece Wardrip and Mark Garverich.

Goddard brought up the issue of spot zoning, indicating this could be a prime example.

Whitworth was in attendance at the Fiscal Court meeting and indicated her business had greatly expanded.

The county zoning ordinance designates a “neighborhood business” as a convenience business, such as a store, laundry or beauty shop.

In other business, magistrates unanimously approved rezoning for a parcel located at KY Hwy 144 and KY Hwy 1600 in Flaherty from exempt to B-2, highway business.

The site was previously the location of the Meade County Water District’s service facility which was recently sold to Tony Brown Chevrolet.

The dealership plans to establish an auto sales establishment there, Coletta said.

In other Planning and Zoning matters, members:

• Learned as of July 3, there are currently eight rezoning actions in the office, with two of them presented to Fiscal Court.

• Learned there were six zoning violations investigated by Coletta. Four of the six have been resolved.

• Learned 40 building permits were issued by the Planning and Zoning office during June. These permits generated $1,574.20 in fees.

Coletta said in some cases there is not a permit charge listed on the magistrate’s report, but he still needs to pay the inspector to review the structure.

He expects to have this issue resolved shortly with the adoption of the new state building codes.

• Learned the department has 10 abandoned property cases, with one closed.

Several other cases were expected to be closed shortly, Coletta said.

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