 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Board of Aldermen deny zone
change for women's group home
Published Thursday, August 20
By Jebb Johnston
Staff Writer
The Corinth Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Tuesday narrowly denied a Kendrick Road zoning change that would have made possible a group home for women facing difficult circumstances in their lives.
Although property owner Scott Nunley said no sale of the property at 3112 Kendrick has been made, the proposed zone change had been tied to the proposed use as a group home by potential buyer Crosswind Ministries. The zone would have changed from R-1 single-family residential to C-1 neighborhood commercial.
After a couple of failed motions, the board deadlocked 3-3 on a motion to approve the change, with Mayor Jerry Latch then casting the deciding vote against.
Aldermen voting in favor were Joe Vann, David Roberts and Steve Hill. Voting against were Chip Wood, Bill Plaxico and Mike Hopkins. Nunley wants to sell the property and said it had been rezoned from commercial to residential after he bought it without his knowledge.
City Attorney William Odom said that zone change occurred during city wide rezoning during the mid-1990s annexation.
Nunley said the residential zoning will make it difficult for him to sell the property. Bobby Capps, representing Crosswind Ministries, said his organization would withdraw its proposed use if it would help Nunley gain the zone change so that the property could be sold to a commercial enterprise.
Odom said the property owners would have to begin the process again to request a zone change not tied to use as a group home. The property neighbors Regions Bank and has been used for various commercial enterprises, including a daycare.
The 4-3 vote came after more than an hour of discussion. Concerned neighbors filled the board room, leaving standing room only. Neighbors said they felt the use of the property as a group home would be detrimental to property values. Several said they feared the group home would be populated by drug addicts and other undesirable individuals.
Representatives of Crosswind said that would not be the case. It would accommodate up to four women under very strict rules, and all would be individuals who “really want to make it,” said Capps. “These are young ladies who made a mistake and now are single moms.”
He said the organization sought the Kendrick Road location because it was near commercial properties but also near a neighborhood that could serve as a positive influence on the women.
Some of the neighbors said they are opposed to the property being rezoned to commercial, regardless of the proposed use.
