Council approves rezoning and comp-plan amendment for six townhomes at 507 North Main

After a public hearing, the Winnsboro City Council voted May 1 to rezone the property at 507 North Main Street from B-1 to Planned Development and approved an accompanying amendment to the city's comprehensive plan. The rezoning will let applicant Toby Tucker move forward with a six-unit townhome project facing West Pine Street.

Toby Tucker, the applicant, told the council the proposal calls for six individually owned townhomes (three units in each of two buildings), two-story designs with attached garages and shared parking, a modest common area and a homeowners association to manage maintenance. “These will be sold individually,” Tucker said, adding the development is intended for owner-occupied, walkable downtown living for people who want lower-maintenance homes near shops. Tucker estimated list prices in the low $300,000s and said each unit would be roughly 1,400 square feet plus garage.

Several nearby residents spoke at the public hearing. Lori Blarf, who lives at 600 North Main Street, said she feared a repeat of past problems when a multi-dwelling use previously occupied the lot: “When it was there, there were a lot of legal issues, a lot of police activity, a lot of drug deals,” she said, and she expressed opposition to another multi-dwelling rental scenario. Another resident, Octillery Rogers, and other speakers asked that any development preserve neighborhood character and improve maintenance.

City staff noted that required notice was mailed to property owners within 200 feet; staff said 30 notices were mailed, three responses were returned (one in favor, one opposed, one requesting more information). Staff clarified that any future development in the PD would still require council approval and that a future owner seeking a different use would have to return for approvals.

Council members asked questions about scale, parking, and market demand. Councilors and the applicant discussed the design concept and the project's potential to encourage reinvestment in the area; one councilor said local owners of older rental properties had expressed interest in exploring similar redevelopment if the project succeeds.

The council moved, seconded and approved both the rezoning motion and Ordinance 10 83-2025 amending the comprehensive plan; the motions were carried by voice vote according to the transcript. City staff will update the zoning map to reflect the change.

The applicant said he would provide final site and architectural plans and seek building permits and other approvals required under the PD process.

Topic provenance: the public hearing, applicant presentation, public comments and final votes on agenda items 7.6–7.8 appear in the transcript.