Lee Erwin reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Clarksville City Council debated the issue of a new R-6 Single Family Residential Zoning District at their Thursday meeting and after a great deal of discussion the ordinance passed the council by a vote of 7-5.
It was the second reading on the new zoning proposal by the Clarksville-Montgomery County Regional Planning Commission that would allow developers to build up to 16 homes on a minimum lot area of 2,500 square feet. As proposed, the ordinance says the new zoning district will allow more housing opportunities and choices, and enhance an area’s unique identity and developmental potential.
Councilwoman Kay Jones made a motion for an amendment to send the ordinance back to the Regional Planning Commission and to have restrictions to the zoning ordinance on where it could be used within the city. That amendment failed 5-7 after some council members questioned the amendment for not being more specific in its language about what those restrictions would be.
Councilwoman Deanna McLaughlin who supported the amendment said like Jones she had received calls and emails from concerned citizens about the proposed R-6 zoning. She added that it was not a bad idea but agreed the ordinance should be sent back to the Regional Planning Commission so there would be a clearer definition of what areas in the city the zoning could be used.
In the 7-5 votes for both the amendment and the ordinance the tally was the same with council members Kip McNeill, Deanna McLaughlin, David Allen, Bill Summers and Kaye Jones against the plan. Mayor Kim McMillan and council members Wallace Redd, Valerie Guzman, Marc Harris, Geno Grubbs, Joel Wallace and Jeff Burkhart voted in favor of the ordinance.
Regional Planning Commission Director Dr. David Ripple talked about what the new R-6 zoning classification would mean to the city. “We hope this will facilitate some opportunities for developers to do residential development in some locations. We don’t suspect it’s going to be the preferred housing style in and about the downtown area but we do know there are a couple of locations that it might work,” Ripple said.
In other business taken up by the council Thursday, an ordinance passed that would allow the Clarksville Gas and Water Department to make monetary adjustments to residential customer accounts. It would also permit the department to waive fees and penalties by customers who inadvertently make a payment to an account other than the intended account.
A vote on an ordinance to set the amount of the performance bond for the Commissioner of Finance and Revenue, Lauri Matta, was postponed until the next regular session of the City Council. Finance Committee Chairman Joel Wallace proposed the vote on the ordinance be delayed until other insurance details could be worked out so the city could get the best value for taxpayer’s dollars.
Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan, along with Clarksville Transit System (CTS) Director Jimmy Smith recognized three employees of the transit system and presented them with Mayor’s Certificates for their accomplishments in a recent statewide competition and their work for the citizens of Clarksville.
Smith talked about the three men who were part of the Tennessee Public Transportation Association “Roadeo.” Justin Jones, a bus operator, won 1st place in the bus driving competition, Delwin Guess, a mechanic, took 3rd place in the van competition and Arthur Bing, Assistant Director for CTS, was named Manager of the Year by the association.