Winnsboro council approves rezoning for 707 West Broadway over spot‑zoning concerns

Winnsboro City Council voted 3-1 on Oct. 14 to approve a request by Johnny and Andrea Newsome to rezone 707 West Broadway from B-2 (business) to SF-2 (single-family).

The change drew a short public record and discussion about "spot zoning," a term used by Mark Hill, a planning consultant who advised the council to weigh compatibility, equal treatment and the risk that a rezoning that applies to a single parcel can prompt legal challenges. Hill said, "Spot zoning is subject to legal challenges," and urged careful documentation of the council's reasons.

City staff said certified notices were mailed to abutting property owners and that no neighbors objected; the council also held a public hearing at its previous meeting. Andrea Newsome, the applicant, confirmed the neighborhood outreach and asked whether the consultant's general comments covered all rezoning requests. She identified herself in the record as living at 709 West Broadway.

Councilmembers debated precedent. One councilmember said the request appeared acceptable in this instance but cautioned that approving a single-parcel rezoning could set a precedent for future requests. After that discussion the council approved the rezoning 3 ayes, 1 no.

The council did not cite any additional conditions or amendments on the record and did not indicate a requirement for further administrative steps beyond updating the zoning map. The council adjourned discussion and moved to the next agenda item.

Background: The item was noticed and heard as Item 7.1 on the Oct. 14 agenda after an earlier public hearing; staff reported that the city's 200-foot notification requirement had been met and that no speakers opposed the request at the prior hearing.