Planning board recommends conditional use to allow storage for Lionheart Construction on Hart property

The Madison County Planning and Zoning Commission at its meeting recommended a conditional use permit, by a 4-0 vote, to allow storage of construction materials and equipment associated with an agricultural construction business on a 20.19-acre parcel owned by Julia Lunn and Roger Hart. The commission is a recommending body; the final decision will be made by the Madison County Board of Commissioners at a later public hearing.

The property at 1592 Wildcat Bridal Road was the subject of an application asking that a 5.02-acre portion be rezoned from A-2 to A-R and the remaining 15.18 acres be rezoned from A-2 to B (business), or alternatively approved via a conditional-use overlay. Bridal Cowan, an associate attorney representing the applicants, told the board that the barns on the rear 15 acres are used for overflow storage by Lionheart Construction LLC and that the owners seek to use the buildings for storage “including but not limited to construction and repair of poultry houses and stack houses.”

Cowan said staff and the county attorney discussed two approaches: a straight rezoning to business with a use-limiting condition, or approval under the county’s conditional-use provisions for farm-based businesses. Cowan told the board, “At the end of the day, Ms. Lunn and Mr. Hart would like to use the barns that they have built on their property for overflow storage from their business, but also for any personal agricultural needs that they may have.”

Commissioners and staff discussed whether the proposed storage fits within the county’s farm-based business rules (Article 9) and other site requirements such as stormwater and parking. Cowan said she believed the property either already met those standards or could meet them; she also said county counsel had discussed the conditional-use option and that the applicants preferred to be heard by the Board of Commissioners rather than take any step that might prejudge the matter.

After discussion the commission made a motion described on the record as a conditional-use approval limited to storage of materials and equipment used for agricultural business “including but not limited to construction and repair of poultry houses and staff houses.” Kenneth, a commission member, summarized the result: “Now we have a 4 to 0 portion to approve, the conditional use.” The commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval and advised the applicants to attend the Board of Commissioners’ hearing.

The commission did not adopt a rezoning to unrestricted business; the action on the record was a recommendation for a conditional use with the stated limiting language. The matter will appear before the Madison County Board of Commissioners for final action.