Florence Planning Commission delays McKenney Court zoning decision

Members of the Florence Planning Commission have voted to postpone their decision on a zoning request after it came to their attention that someone prematurely removed signs announcing a public hearing on the matter.

A public hearing on the request to zone six properties on McKenney Court to a single-family residential district took place during the planning commission‘s regular weekly meeting Tuesday.

Several residents who live in that neighborhood expressed concerns about the length of time the zoning signs were up. One resident said a sign disappeared just eight hours after officials put it in place.

Florence Urban Planning and Development Director Phillip Lookadoo told the commission neither he nor anyone in his office had removed the signs, which by law, must be in place 15 days prior to a public hearing.

Commission chairman Glynn Willis said “it appears the signs were illegally removed” and the matter must be investigated further before any recommendation by the commission could be made to Florence City Council.

“We want to get this right,” Willis said. “We need to take our time and not rush through these matters.”

Cornelius Nelson, who has lived in the neighborhood for about 15 years, said he hopes someone didn’t remove the signs out of spite.

“We want to know why the signs were taken up. Why would somebody do that?” he asked. “We didn’t like it, so we wanted to find out about it.”

The 6,000-square-foot property is unzoned and the owner is asking to put single-family homes in the area, Lookadoo said during the meeting.

Comprehensive land-use plans show the area could be used for industrial purposes, but the city’s urban planning and development staff recommended against that, Lockadoo said.

Residents also expressed concern over the property owner’s right to scrap plans for single-family units and build townhouses or condominiums instead. Nelson told the commission he and other neighbors wouldn’t want that.

“It’s a family-oriented community and that’s the way we want it to stay if possible,” he said. “All the neighbors got a little concerned about it, that’s why we are here tonight.”

In addition to the McKenney Court matter, members of the planning commission discussed the request to zone 601 N. Wiltshire Drive in the Windsor Forest Community for single-family homes.

The commission approved that request and recommended it for zoning to city council, which will address the matter 1 p.m. Sept. 8.