Dresden Planning Commission Approves Rezoning Request

BY DAVID FISHER

david@dresdenenterprise.com

DRESDEN (December 3) — The Dresden Municipal/Regional Planning Commission approved a rezoning request when it met in special session on Thursday, December 3, 2020, at Dresden City Hall.

Stan Hurt requested his property, located at 145 East Main St., be rezoned from B-2 (Central Business) to R-2 (Medium Density Residential). This will allow him to install two houses on the 19,500 sq. ft. lot.

Hurt originally requested the property be rezoned from B-2 (Central Business) to R-1 (Low Density Residential), which would allow for the construction of one house at that location. This is because a house previously on the property burned and was buried on the east side of the lot, and building codes forbid a residence from being built over a buried structure.

However, since last month’s meeting, Hurt learned the buried house is not where it would affect the location of either of the two proposed houses.

Mayor Jeff Washburn explained, although an R-2 zone allows for the construction of a duplex, Hurt plans on installing two single-family manufactured homes. The adjacent properties are already in an R-2 district.

An R-2 zone has a different lot size and road setback requirements. The setback for the two single-family units should be 25 feet from the street, and at minimum, no closer than the other houses are from the street.

The ordinance also places an adjoining alley in the R-2 zone.

According to Staff Planner Donny Bunton, who serves as Northwest Tennessee Development District representative, while this property seems appropriately zoned and conducive to commercial growth, he takes no issue with rezoning the property to either R-1 or R-2.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen must approve the ordinance on two readings, and there must be a public hearing, before the ordinance goes into effect. The readings will take place in December 2020 and January 2021.