Final action needed to allow Dustin Brockman to move his auto dealership to 511 Burkesville St. has now been taken by the city council.
The Columbia City Council approved final reading of an ordinance to amend the city’s zoning map during a special called meeting on Friday.
Due to social distancing requirements, the meeting was held live through the city’s YouTube account. Mayor Pam Hoots, City Clerk Rhonda Loy and City Attorney Derrick Helm attended the meeting at city hall. Councilors Sharon Payne, Dr. Ronald Rogers, Linda Waggener, Craig Dean and Mark Harris attended through virtual conferencing. June Parson did not attend.
The meeting, which is the first the council has held since March, lasted less than three minutes.
Brockman has tried for a year to get city approval to rezone the lot for commercial purposes. While the lot, which has been zoned as residential, is nestled between homes, it is not far from commercial property on each side and across the street.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted against recommending the rezoning change, asserting that the move would be spot zoning. After several months of meetings and conversation, the council voted in January to allow the zoning change.
In other business during the brief meeting, the council gave Mayor Hoots approval to work with the Lake Cumberland Area Development District to apply for a grant for a project at the city park on Fairground Street. The proposed project includes a splash pad, renovation of bathrooms, interior and exterior fencing, a sidewalk up to the splash pad, lighting and landscaping.
The council also heard first reading to amend zoning regulations for property at 1106 Gaston Ave. The property connects with the former Dickie’s barbecue site at 1001 Jamestown St. and both properties are owned by Cook Out, a privately owned fast food restaurant chain.
Cook Out plans to build a new restaurant at the location.
The meeting can be viewed at https://youtu.be/U6BOuXutDMg.
By Sharon Burton
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