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Commission recommends B3 rezoning for 26-acre parcel near Duke & Duchess; neighbors cite traffic concerns
Summary
The Planning Commission recommended approval 3-1 of William McCown’s request to rezone a 26-acre parcel from R1 to B3 (highway business). Nearby residents warned of added traffic and access challenges; commissioners noted infrastructure and access would be evaluated during engineering review and at council.
The City of Norton Planning Commission voted 3-1 to recommend that City Council rezone about 26 acres owned by William McCown from R1 to B3 (highway business), the commission said at its meeting.
Why it matters: A B3 designation would allow highway-business uses along a corridor already seeing commercial zoning changes; neighbors said additional commercial zoning could worsen existing traffic congestion near the Duke & Duchess intersection and would require infrastructure upgrades.
William McCown, who told the commission he is the owner and said he is not planning immediate development, explained the request is largely intended to increase the property’s market value and to match adjacent business zoning. "The remaining property of 26 acres will be split and the owner is asking for the rezone to be B3 zoning," planning staff summarized in presenting the application.
Several nearby residents spoke against the rezoning on traffic and access grounds. John Holdren, who lives directly adjacent, said the area already experiences heavy afternoon traffic and urged a traffic study and possible signalization: "Some traffic studies and see what's necessary there," he said. Rich Dwire said he feared the rezoning was being used to increase resale value and effectively transfer the property to a developer.
Commission discussion noted physical access constraints: Clubside Drive is narrow and would need significant work for commercial traffic, and gas lines under one potential access route would make road construction expensive. Planning staff said developers must submit engineering and traffic analyses as part of any future site-plan review and that the city’s engineer can require a traffic-impact study based on projected peak-hour counts.
The commission’s recommendation is advisory; final approval rests with City Council. Roll-call votes on the motion recorded Commissioners Witzberger, Coughlin and Dowling voting yes and Commissioner Lehta voting no.
Ending: The recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for readings and public hearings; any future development would be subject to engineering review, utility coordination and traffic mitigation measures as required by staff and city code.
