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Residents oppose BeltLine rezoning as council directs P&Z to resume hearing and study data‑center rules
Summary
Residents urged aldermen to reject a proposed R1B rezoning on Old Grama Summit Road, citing density, sewer and traffic concerns. The council declined to approve the rezoning and voted to direct administration to schedule a resumed planning and zoning hearing and to have planning and zoning begin drafting data‑center regulations.
More than a dozen residents turned out to oppose a proposed rezoning of parcels on Old Grama Summit Road and several adjacent Katy Lane addresses that would change roughly 7.89 acres from non‑urban/R1E zoning to R1B single‑family residential.
At the public hearing the council heard repeated objections that R1B would permit “20 to 30 homes on less than 8 acres,” would require pump stations or grinder pumps because of elevation, and would increase traffic on Old Grey Summit Road — a single route that residents said becomes heavily congested when trains block the crossing. Kevin Doyle, who said he lives at 1898 Old Grama Summit Road, asked the board to preserve the area’s current character and recommended R1E or R1H zoning instead of R1B.
“R1B rezoning will allow between 20 and 30 homes on less than 8 acres, and that’s just entirely too many homes for that property,” Doyle said during public comment.
Council members debated whether to table the item, postpone to a specific date, or vote. A motion to postpone to September failed, and a subsequent roll‑call vote on the rezoning failed, with five aldermen voting no and one voting yes; the ordinance did not pass.
After public comment and the failed rezoning vote, the board voted to direct the city administration to schedule a resumed public hearing for the BeltLine application in accordance with the city’s PUD ordinance and re‑notice requirements. City Attorney Carr reminded the council that republishing notice, posting signage and sending new notices to neighboring property owners are required for a new public hearing. The council also voted to ask the planning and zoning commission to begin work on draft regulations for data centers.
Several commenters had urged the council to pursue municipal data‑center rules rather than rely on neighboring Franklin County. Dana Bowers, a Pacific resident who has been following data‑center discussions, listed a series of technical and regulatory issues she wants the city to address: water and wastewater impacts, cooling systems, generators, fuel storage, noise, lighting, health and environmental studies, stormwater and decommissioning procedures.
“Pacific needs regulations that address more than just setbacks,” Bowers said. “They need to be enforceable and written specifically for us.”
Next steps: the administration will work with planning and zoning to set a new hearing date, republish required notices, and advance a planning‑level review of possible data‑center regulations. The council did not adopt the rezoning tonight.
