Residents oppose Powell Lane rezoning; planning commission tables request to plan review

The Hopkinsville Planning Commission on a voice vote moved to table a rezoning application from R-2 (single-family residential) to B-2 (general business) for property at the northwest corner of Powell Lane and Cox Mill Road and refer it back to plan review for further consideration.

Beth (staff member, Community Development Services) opened the public hearing by reading the applicant's request and the staff analysis, including trip-generation examples and an assessment of the request against the city’s comprehensive plan. The application seeks commercial zoning for approximately 11 acres the staff report said is currently depicted as low- to medium-density residential on the future land-use map.

The rezoning attracted extensive public comment. Alvin Schmidt of 201 Pyle Lane told commissioners, “If you ever sit on my front porch and watch the cars come across that hill up there, they are doing 70 plus mile an hour,” and said he was concerned about school buses and safety. Tiffany Jackson of 217 Pyle Lane said she and her husband bought their home for its rural character and that converting the lot to commercial “will make that a much worse problem.” Eugene Frederick, a neighbor who said he bought his house in 1991, urged commissioners to “stop it before it begins,” warning that one rezoning can lead to further commercial encroachment. Several other residents cited traffic, narrow roads and proximity to homes as reasons to deny the request.

Beth told the commission that the staff finds the request in “disagreement with the comprehensive plan,” citing the future land-use map, department comments from public works and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and the distance (more than one mile) from other planned commercial nodes along Powell Lane. She recited relevant statutory language from KRS 100 describing when a rezoning may be appropriate and said the applicant had not satisfied those tests in staff’s view.

After the public hearing closed, Steve (counsel) recommended tabling the item to allow staff to prepare minutes that memorialize the testimony and to send the record to plan review for a formal recommendation before the commission makes a final decision. Miss Guwenda Motley moved to table the application and send it to plan review; Miss Killebrew seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote.

What happens next: The item will return to plan review (no additional public hearing is required), which was advised to consider the testimony from this meeting and issue a recommendation to the Planning Commission at its next regular meeting. Commissioners were reminded by counsel to avoid ex parte contacts while the item is under deliberation.

Votes at a glance: Motion to table and refer R25-1-1 to plan review — mover: Miss Guwenda Motley; second: Miss Killebrew; outcome: tabled, voice vote (motion carries).