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Council debates rezoning for 6622 Westley Highway and returns request to planning commission for further review
Summary
Council discussed a rezoning request for a 0.26-acre parcel at 6622 Westley Highway, heard planning commission rationale and concerns about spot zoning and density, and voted to send the request back to the planning commission for further study.
The Loudon City Council on May 20 considered an ordinance to amend the city's zoning map for property at 6622 Westley Highway (Tax Map 048, Parcel 104), approximately 0.26 acres, and voted to send the rezoning request back to the planning commission for further review.
The item in the packet proposed rezoning the parcel from C1 to P1 (as described in the staff/packet text). Professor Spencer, identified in the meeting as the person who addressed the council on the item, said the planning commission recommended a change that would allow repurposing of the existing building and noted that many buildings in the current commercial zone were nonconforming residential uses. Spencer explained the planning commission's reasoning that a downzoning could make the property compatible with adjacent single-family neighborhoods and might begin a transition along the block.
Several council members questioned whether P1 was the appropriate district because P1 can allow higher-density residential (R2) uses in addition to single-family (R1) development. One council member said that rezoning directly to R1 would be more consistent with the surrounding properties but also acknowledged that a full R1 downzone could reduce property value and may raise takings concerns. A council member recommended tabling and sending the matter back to the planning commission for additional study; that motion was seconded and approved on the record.
Council discussion also noted inconsistencies between local mapping and state property data about neighboring lot designations and zoning labels. The meeting record preserves those concerns but does not provide a definitive, corrected zoning map in the minutes; council directed further review by the planning commission to clarify the appropriate district and potential impacts.
Ending: The rezoning request for 6622 Westley Highway will return to the planning commission for further analysis and a revised recommendation; the council did not adopt the rezoning ordinance at this meeting.
