Planning Commission backs favorable rezoning recommendation for proposed gas station

The Jefferson County Special Planning Commission voted on Jan. 21 to forward a favorable recommendation to the Jefferson County Commissioners for a zoning map change that would allow a gas station on roughly 2 acres along the highway.

The commission’s recommendation is advisory; the County Commissioners will make the final decision. Commissioners considered the proposal against the Jefferson County comprehensive plan and other local factors, and discussed public notice, site context and conflicts of interest before voting.

At the start of the agenda item commissioners noted that five affirmative votes are required for the commission to take action and that one member, David Ferguson, was expected to recuse himself from the matter. A commissioner who visited the site said the parcel sits adjacent to an existing business on one side, a mobile home park across the way and other commercial properties on the same corridor. The speaker said the project would remove about 2 acres of farm ground…