Planning commission recommends annexing cemetery land and part of 9th West Road to city council pending due diligence

The Fountain Green Planning & Zoning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council pursue annexation of a portion of the city-owned cemetery and an adjacent stretch of the 9th West Road after commissioners said the move would resolve county setback problems for a proposed maintenance building.

The recommendation, made during the commission's regular meeting, was introduced by a committee member who said the county had requested evidence of the city's intent to annex before issuing a permit for a new cemetery building. "So I move that the, this commission recommends to the city council to pursue annexation after due diligence, the cemetery, and the 9th West Road, portion," the committee member said, and the motion was seconded. Chair Andrew called for the vote and the motion carried.

Why it matters: Commissioners said annexing the parcel would simplify permitting and could make the city eligible for additional state roadway funding tied to city mileage. Members noted the parcel is city-owned but partly outside current city limits, which created the county setback conflict that prompted the annexation discussion.

What was discussed: Commissioners debated whether the commission had authority or whether the matter belongs more properly to the City Council, but agreed a recommendation was appropriate. They also discussed broader annexation opportunities — including other adjacent city-owned parcels — and asked staff to confirm legal and administrative steps and any costs. "We're going to recommend annexation of the cemetery and the 9th West Road portion, after due diligence leads to a favorable outcome to the city," the mover said when offering the motion.

Next steps: The commission recorded the recommendation for the City Council to review; commissioners asked staff to prepare due-diligence information about legal steps, fees and any survey work and bring that to the council. The recommendation will appear on the council agenda for final action.

The commission continued other business after the vote and adjourned at the end of the meeting.