Planning Commission denies annexation and NC‑15 zoning request for three Barkley Drive parcels

The Florence City Planning Commission voted to deny a request to annex three parcels at 924, 928 and 932 Barkley Drive and to rezone them NC‑15 pending annexation.

Planner Elaine Lane told commissioners the three lots are located at the back of Vintage Place subdivision and "do not actually even meet the requirements of the Unified Development Ordinance for the requested zoning, which would be NC‑15," because the NC‑15 standard requires a 100‑foot width at the building line. Lane said the parcels are narrow and abut an RG‑3 zone in Magnolia Farms; the future land‑use map designates the area as neighborhood conservation.

Jeremy McKee, president of the Vintage Place Homeowners Association, told the commission the subdivision was planned as county property and that residents oppose partial annexation. "We believe that it is not logical for having a few homes in the very back of our neighborhood that would be an extent of the city limits while the rest of the subdivision remains county property," McKee said, citing potential confusion for emergency services and sanitation.

Commission discussion cited prior annexation attempts in 2016 that did not achieve a 75% petition threshold and highlighted concerns about road conditions and the efficiency of city services extending to a small number of homes. Commissioner Moses moved to deny the annexation and zoning request; the motion received a second and was approved by voice vote. The transcript records the chair announcing the motion carried; individual roll-call tallies were not transcribed.

The planning commission is a recommending body; final annexation and zoning decisions would go to city council if the commission had recommended approval. In this case, the commission denied the request and no recommendation for annexation will be forwarded.