Commission tables Martin Luther King Boulevard rezoning after extended public opposition
Summary
A proposed rezoning of multiple parcels on East Martin Luther King Boulevard to Central Business was the subject of a lengthy public hearing. Neighbors raised traffic, lighting, stormwater and privacy concerns; commissioners voted to table the request to allow the applicant and neighbors to pursue subdividing the site and discuss conditions.
The Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 30 tabled a zoning map amendment request affecting parcels along East Martin Luther King Boulevard after extensive public comment from nearby residents.
The applicants, Jennifer Paycheck and John Modlin, requested rezoning of parcels at 145 E. Martin Luther King Blvd. from RM-2 (multifamily residential) to CB (central business). Miss Gray and the director noted the request is consistent with the adopted future land use map and the comprehensive plan, but staff and commissioners emphasized traffic and neighborhood-transition concerns.
Applicants described a vision that could include off-street parking and small commercial uses facing Martin Luther King Boulevard, and they noted existing neighbors have used a vacant parcel informally for overflow parking at events. Several neighbors and community representatives spoke in opposition or with concerns: - Thomas Riley (102 E. Warner St.) and Dana Hill (104 E. Walnut St.) said the alley and First Street are narrow, prone to congestion, and would not accommodate additional commercial traffic; they objected to parking lots directly behind residences and said lighting and noise would be intrusive. - Ennis Tillman (First Baptist Church trustee) and other neighbors said weekday use of any newly developed parking lot could conflict with funerals and church activity; Tillman said sound and lighting concerns would be significant. - Mark Morgan and other commenters urged clearer visual materials and asked for more time for residents to review plans.
Commissioners discussed possible compromise approaches: rezoning only the two parcels that front Martin Luther King Boulevard to CB while leaving the interior tract RM-2, or subdividing the property so that commercial-facing lots could be addressed separately from interior residential-facing lots. Commissioners and staff emphasized that any future site plan would have to meet city stormwater, access, and landscaping standards.
After discussion, a commissioner moved to table the application to allow the applicants to work with neighbors and to submit a revised application that could include subdivision and conditions. The motion to table passed by voice vote.
Why this matters: The proposal raised questions about how to balance downtown commercial expansion and preserving neighborhood character. Tabling gives applicants and neighbors more time to develop a plan that addresses traffic, lighting, buffering and stormwater concerns before the commission takes further action.
What happens next: The applicants were advised to meet with neighbors and city staff, consider subdividing the tract to separate Martin Luther King frontage from interior parcels, and return with a revised application or a narrowed rezoning request.
