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Commission hears forceful opposition to Parker's Kitchen rezoning near Burnt Church Cemetery; vote deferred 30 days
Summary
Residents and cemetery caretakers urged denial of a proposed Parker's Kitchen rezoning for a 3.83-acre parcel adjacent to Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church’s Burnt Church Cemetery, citing historic, flooding and safety concerns. The board deferred a final decision for 30 days to gather more information and studies.
Chair (Speaker 1) opened a public hearing on a second-reading rezoning request for roughly 3.83 acres at Highway 144 and Belfast River Road, described by staff as a proposal to rezone the parcel from A-5 agricultural to B-2 general commercial for a Parker's Kitchen convenience store. Planning staff reported the planning commission had recommended denial while county staff recommended approval with conditions including payment for a traffic impact study, a requirement to provide onsite septic plans if public sewer is not currently viable, mandatory future connection to county sewer when available, and a 15-foot undisturbed vegetative buffer along the driveway adjacent to Burnt Church Cemetery.
The meeting drew extensive public comment from long-time residents, members of Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church and cemetery caretakers. Sue Turner, clerk of session for Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church, said the congregation did not learn of the rezoning until after the planning commission review and asked the board…
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