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Planning commission recommends denying Stone rezoning for RV storage after unpermitted tree clearing
Summary
The Cherokee County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial of Mary and Robert Stone’s request to rezone 11 acres from R40 to LI for an RV and commercial parking lot and a special use permit for outdoor storage, citing multiple variances, conflict with the Wildcat character-area plan and recent unpermitted tree clearing.
The Cherokee County Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday recommended denial of a rezoning request by Mary and Robert Stone to change about 11 acres on North Rote Mill Road from R40 to light industrial to allow an RV and commercial parking lot and non–climate-controlled self-storage.
The recommendation followed staff presentation, discussion of six requested variances and an arborist report that found recent clearing within the I‑575 buffer. "I could not support this," Commissioner Barnes said during the debate, citing the Wildcat character‑area plan and concern that the proposed outdoor storage would conflict with the area’s intended employment and business‑park uses. Several commissioners said the number of variances — and apparent grading and tree removal without a land‑disturbance permit — weighed against approval.
Staff told the commission the property is in the Wildcat future character area and that adjacent land includes light industrial and general commercial in the city, but that the county’s VEIL (light industrial) district is intended primarily for indoor operations with only limited outdoor storage. An arborist who inspected the site reported tree clearing down to roughly 25 feet of the I‑575 buffer at the narrowest point; staff said a stop‑work order was posted on the site.
Planning staff circulated a draft set of conditions that would tie issuance of any local business license to satisfying land‑development requirements and required conditions, and suggested planting a double staggered row of evergreen arborvitae if the commission allowed the buffer variance. Commissioners who voted against the rezoning said those conditions were insufficient to mitigate the unpermitted clearing and the number of variances requested.
The commission also recommended denial of the accompanying special use permit by similar margin. The motions were made and seconded during the meeting and recorded in the public minutes.
The Planning Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Cherokee County Commission, which typically acts at a future public meeting. Staff said the Commission will discuss the case further and prepare a recommendation for the County Commission at its next meeting cycle.
No members of the public registered focused testimony on this case during the hearing portion; staff and commissioners discussed the signage and corrective conditions presented by the Stones’ representatives before the vote.
