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Christian County approves rezoning on Selmore Road and Southern View Road after road and sinkhole reviews
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Summary
The Christian County Commission approved two zoning changes: a C-2 commercial rezoning for Dura/Derla Incorporated parcels on Selmore Road after road-district review and public comment on sight distance and lighting, and approval of a Virginia McMillan Trust parcel to R-1 for three single-family lots, subject to normal permitting and road-district requirements.
The Christian County Commission approved two land-use changes Thursday, moving a Selmore Road property into C-2 commercial zoning and a Southern View Road parcel into R-1 suburban residential, after staff presentations, road-district review and public comment.
Planning staff presented the Selmore Road item as a forwarded recommendation from the PNC Commission and said the matter had been tabled earlier to seek additional clarity from the special road district. A road-district representative raised safety concerns, saying the primary issue is sight distance. "We gotta have 450, 500 feet sight distance for their approaches," the representative said, and added that brush and obstructions would have to be cleared and that required turn lanes or right-turn improvements would be at the developer's expense.
Neighbors and residents told commissioners they were concerned about increased traffic, security lighting and changes in tax classification if the parcel were rezoned commercial. One resident asked whether the special road district must sign off on access; planning staff and the road representative said final driveway access and any traffic-study requirements are reviewed through the applicable special road district and permitting process.
Developer Jim Taylor, who spoke at the meeting, described prior redevelopment work in the region and said his intent is responsible development. "I just want to throw all that out there to clarify that certainly the last intention that I have…is to get along with neighbors," Taylor said, arguing the project was meant to be an asset, not a nuisance.
Commissioner (speaker 6) moved to approve the C-2 rezoning for the Dura/Derla parcels after noting staff and the relevant procedural reviews had been completed; the motion carried by voice vote.
The commission then considered case 2026-0023, a request by the Virginia McMillan Trust to rezone a Southern View Road parcel to R-1 to allow division into three single-family lots. Planning staff said the future land-use map and PNC review support the request and that Ozark Special Road District had received the report and typically reviews access and driveway spacing for collector roads.
Commissioners discussed a mapped sinkhole near the parcel and noted county and state setback requirements apply; staff said geotechnical and septic/well approvals would be required before subdivision. After questions and confirmation that interagency reviews would occur, Commissioner (speaker 2) moved to approve the rezoning; the motion passed by voice vote.
Votes at a glance - Case 2025-0319 (Dura/Derla Incorporated) — rezoned to C-2 commercial; motion moved by Committee member (speaker 6), seconded by Chair; voice vote recorded as aye and chair announced approval. - Case 2026-0023 (Virginia McMillan Trust) — rezoned to R-1 suburban residence to allow subdivision into three lots; motion moved by Committee member (speaker 2), seconded by Chair; voice vote recorded as aye and chair announced approval.
What happens next: Both approvals allow the property owners to pursue permitting and any required road-district or engineering conditions; driveway access, traffic studies and well/septic permitting will be addressed in subsequent permitting steps. The commission noted required interagency coordination and that roadway and sinkhole setbacks remain enforceable through the building and health departments.
