Planning commission tables Honor Lane rezoning amid veterans' pleas to preserve community center

The Planning and Zoning Commission on April 21 voted to table FY-25-13-ZC, a rezoning request to change about 0.16 acres at 1252 Honor Lane from planned development single-family attached 3 to Office 1, after an extended public hearing in which veterans, neighborhood advocates and the property owner described competing plans and longstanding commitments around the site's community center.

The request drew public testimony that the parcel and an adjacent community center were originally developed with the intent to serve veterans; several speakers—including veterans and Citizens for Progress—said that Habitat for Humanity and subsequent property sales altered that intent. Senior planner Shelby Smith advised the commission the proposed Office 1 zoning is consistent with the city’s future land use designation (urban residential), that water and wastewater are available, and that the development-review committee found no compliance issues with the proposed district. Smith said 19 notices were mailed to properties within the 200-foot boundary and that staff received multiple written opposition forms from nearby residents.

The new owner of the building, Tamara Tharp (who said she is known in the neighborhood as "Nikki"), told the commission she purchased several units and the community center from Habitat for Humanity and that she was not fully aware of prior expectations that the development remain strictly for veterans. "Veterans are my heart," Tharp said, describing herself and her husband as people who support service members. Tharp told commissioners she is open to negotiations and said she would consider selling the community center "for below market" to a nonprofit or other interested party.

Longtime local volunteer and organizer Pat Patterson offered a detailed history of the project's early financing and community work. Patterson said he and volunteers organized construction, donations and programming intended to support veterans, and he told commissioners Habitat sold the community assets to private buyers rather than preserve the veterans-only concept. Veterans' advocates including Mary Grace Sellers and Dr. Sandra Crossley urged preserving the community center as a veterans-serving facility; Sellers told the commission, "Habitat sold all our veterans out," and described repeated community volunteer efforts to support the site.

Residents raised practical concerns about traffic, parking and single-point access to the neighborhood if the corner parcel were converted to an office use. Rick Kendrick, an Honor Lane resident, summarized ownership in the development: "As of today, we have 14 veteran homeowners ... 15 homes," he said, noting the majority of units are veteran-owned or -occupied.

After public testimony, Commissioner Morales moved to table the rezoning request; Commissioner Rhodes seconded. Tiffany recorded votes of Aye by Commissioners Morales, Walker, Droszek, Rhodes, Kearney and Chair Krause; the motion to table carried unanimously. Staff noted that tabling the item will place it on the next commission agenda unless otherwise noticed and encouraged parties to use the interim to pursue negotiations or additional documentation.

Shelby Smith told commissioners the proposed Office 1 designation permits low-rise, neighborhood-serving professional and medical offices and that the proposal complies with the thoroughfare and trails master plans; she also reiterated that utility service is available at the site. Speakers asked for more clarity about the status of the homeowners association, the community center’s operating plan and whether a nonprofit could acquire and operate the facility. Tharp said she is open to a below-market sale to a nonprofit and invited direct negotiations.

The public hearing was closed for the purposes of this meeting and the item will return to the commission at its next scheduled agenda unless the applicant withdraws or requests a different action.