Jefferson County commissioners approve two rezoning requests to bring residential parcels into A-1 agricultural zoning

Jefferson County commissioners approved two rezoning requests at their June meeting to reclassify split-zoned parcels as A-1 agricultural to match existing residential use.

Planning staff described Z250014 as a four-acre tract that contained a portion zoned I-3 industrial; staff said the rezoning would “clean it up, bring the entire property into A-1 agriculture” and that the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval. The staff presentation said there was no public opposition. The commission moved, seconded and approved the rezoning by voice vote; the chair noted there were four commissioners present and “it takes 3 to approve any zoning issue.”

The second case, Z250015, involves property off Highway 78 in the Graysville area. Planning staff said most of the parcel carried I-3 industrial zoning with a portion in C-3 commercial — a remnant, the staff said, of a past bar or lounge on the site — and that the applicants proposed rezoning the entire parcel to A-1 to bring the property into compliance with its residential use. The Planning and Zoning Commission also recommended approval for Z250015 and the county commission closed the public hearing after stating there were no speakers and approved the item by voice vote.

Both items were presented during the public-hearing portion of the agenda. No members of the public spoke in favor of or opposition to either rezoning case during the hearings.

Planning staff identified the applicants by name during the hearings: Z250014 is listed with applicant Agnes Ochsner; Z250015 listed Howard Burrell and Rachel Burrell as owners with Chris Young as agent. The record shows the commission approved both rezoning requests at the meeting.