Planning commission recommends annexation but denies C-2 rezoning for proposed Bingham Barn venue after heavy neighborhood opposition

The Ozark City Planning & Zoning Commission on Oct. 27 voted to recommend annexation of a roughly 3.05-acre parcel at the southwest corner of East Country Crest Road and North 14th Avenue (petition 25-0008) but recommended denial of a separate request to rezone that same parcel from county A-1 to C-2 with a conditional overlay that would have allowed the owner to operate a private-event venue at the historic barn on the site.

Staff told the commission the parcel is in Tier 1 of the city—s urban service area, within 300 feet of city water and sewer, and therefore subject to the city—s annexation requirement for development. Randall Whitman summarized the proposed conditional overlay, which would have limited public events to private bookings, capped occupancy at 132 people, required about 33 parking spaces in a concept plan, mandated a 25-foot buffer yard and six-foot privacy fence along south and east property lines, and…