Zoning change OK’d for redevelopment of Woodlawn Springs golf course
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018 — The Joint City-County Planning Commission approved a zoning amendment that will allow the owners of Woodlawn Springs golf course to redevelop the property into a residential development.
Planning Commission Chair Bill Busch listens as commission members discuss an amendment to allow the owners of Woodlawn Springs Golf Club to redevelop the golf course into a residential development.
The commission voted 4-2 Tuesday night in favor of a recommendation to allow the requested zoning amendment. Commissioner members Martin Carpenter, Mark Mathis, Charles Howard and Commission Chairman Bill Busch voted in favor of granting the change, while commission members Andy Hall and Mary Ellen Marquess voted against it.
“I’m still opposed to this,” Marquess said during the commission’s discussion at Tuesday planning commission meeting.
Marquess agreed that the zoning request met the requirements for the change, however, the fact that the property wasn’t originally planned for houses did not settle well with her.
Mark Mathis stated his support for approving the request at the hearing — with the addition of specific conditions to protect the existing property owners.
“I haven’t changed my mind after reviewing all the evidence,” he said. “I think the concerns that were raised the night of the public hearing can be addressed.”
Martin Carpenter said he was concerned during the December public hearing regarding what he saw as a large number of undefined and unaddressed concerns about the proposal.
“But I’m not in the mindset that it needs to stop in its tracks and start over,” he said.
Commission member Martin Carpenter discusses the application for the zoning amendment.
Carpenter agreed that the commission could place conditions on the approval to adequately address concerns regarding drainage, utilities and other issues.
Commission member Andy Hall said he felt the existing zoning gave the property owners a lot of options with the golf course property. “Based on that, I feel like the case has not been made to approve the change.”
Commission chair Bill Busch said the property owner and neighbors are in a “no-win situation.”
The property owners have a failed golf course, while the development’s existing residents who have enjoyed the presence of the golf course over the years face seeing their neighborhood change. And as Busch noted, “It is a substantial change.”
Prior to the vote, Busch told the audience the commissioners “have listened to every single argument and taken every thought into consideration that we possibly can” regarding the zoning request.
Carpenter’s motion to approve included conditions that:
— the development create no new entrances onto Woodlawn Road
— the developer will complete a traffic study and adopt any mitigation work it requires;
— the developers will submit a development plan showing the final layout of the entire development, along with a completed public service review addressing availability of adequate water, sewer and fire protection.
— required a geotechnical report for remediation of naturally sensitive areas such as sinkholes, along with a drainage plan that is approved by the county engineer.
The motion was approved 4-2, with three commission members recusing themselves because they were not present for the December public hearing on the request.
WHAT’S NEXT. Nelson Fiscal Court will take up the commission’s decision at a future meeting. The court has the option of conducting a public hearing on the matter, or it can base its decision on the existing evidence presented by both sides at the December public hearing.
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