Collierville meeting approves routine items; staff previews 7 Brew redevelopment, zoning "clean up" and new development map

At a Collierville meeting, members approved routine procedural items and heard planning staff briefings on a proposed coffee-shop redevelopment, a zoning "clean up" ordinance, a new development activity map and other upcoming planning items.

The announcements, delivered by Jamie, a town staff member, highlighted a redevelopment case for a former bank next to Walmart that is proposed for a 7 Brew Coffee; a training session for chairs and vice chairs on June 12; a July 8 meeting agenda that will include Lockwood spaces 5 and 6 and a final plat expected on the consent agenda; a park-plan development that could incorporate land to the north being discussed for a possible future school and for Collierville First Methodist Church; release of a request for proposals for the comprehensive plan (comp plan); and a planned zoning "clean up" ordinance to address technology- and use-related items.

Jamie described the redevelopment case for the site next to Walmart as a conversion of a former bank into a coffee shop, saying, "It was built in like in the late 60s and used as a bank for many, many years, but it has been recently sold for a, 7 Brew Coffee and so they're trying to build that. They would scrape the site clean and rebuild it." Jamie added the property is "a legal non conforming site in many ways," which could limit how some modern standards apply, and said developers "will be expected to meet the architectural requirements." Jamie also said the building footprint is small: "It's a 7 brew coffee. So it's a very small building, surrounded by, drive aisles, a double drive aisle."

On regulatory updates, Jamie said staff will draft a zoning "clean up" ordinance beginning in the next fiscal year (which starts July 1) to address topics that staff have identified as needing clearer rules. "Technology changes like EV charging stations, solar panels, trying to address those better, either on a building or maybe even some people, are taking their farms and converting them to solar panels," Jamie said. The memo included items such as EV charging, solar arrays on large tracts, food trucks and revisiting parking maximums; Jamie cited recent state legislation that "affect the board of zoning appeals" and indicated code revisions will be needed to reflect those changes.

Jamie said the town will demonstrate a new version of its interactive development activity map at the July 8 meeting and that staff plan to unveil additional content. Jamie also noted an upcoming training session on June 12 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. for chairs and vice chairs; the session will be recorded and count toward four hours of credit for attendees.

The meeting included routine roll-call votes on procedural items. Votes at a glance:

- Approval of minutes: Motion to approve minutes (mover: not specified; second: not specified). Roll call recorded Commissioners Sled (yes), Fletcher (yes), Gibbon (yes), DeBose (yes), Stamps (yes), Goddard (yes), Cotton (yes) and Green (yes). Outcome: approved.

- Approval of agenda as published: Motion to approve agenda (mover: not specified; second: not specified). Roll call recorded Commissioners Fletcher (yes), Gibbon (yes), DeBose (yes), Stamps (yes), Goddard (yes), Sled (yes) and Cotton (yes). Outcome: approved.

- Approval of consent agenda: Motion to approve consent agenda (mover: not specified; second: not specified). Roll call recorded Commissioners Fletcher (yes), Gibbon (yes), DeBose (yes), Stamps (yes), Goddard (yes), Sled (yes) and Cotton (yes). Outcome: approved.

Jamie said staff will provide further updates at the next meeting on July 8, when the commission will review the listed plats, the park plan materials and the demo of the new development map.