Public Hearing on rezoning to be held Aug. 12

Clarion Top News

Friday, 09 August 2024 11:12

On Monday, August 12 at 4 p.m. a public hearing will be held at the Scottsboro City Hall regarding a rezoning request. The request made by Stonebridge Acreage asks that the zoning be changed from R1 to R3 for single family detached housing. Stonebridge is compromised of 50-plus acres off of Cimmaron Drive in Scottsboro.
According to the City of Scottsboro’s Zoning Ordinance the R1 zone is intended to facilitate the development of single family, low-density residential areas. R3 is intended to facilitate in the development of single family and low-density multi-family dwelling units, not to exceed two per structure. According the Uses Permitted in Residential Districts posted within the Zoning Ordinance, the only difference between R1 and R3 is that duplexes can be built in an R3 zone.

Many residents who reside in Stonebridge, The Meadows, Sherwood Estates, on Byron Road and on Hood Avenue have expressed their opposition to this proposal.

One citizen wrote, “One concern is safety for our children and anyone traveling on Highway 72. If people are not aware, a development is already going up on Hood Avenue and Gant Hill Road with 116 homes being added. Do we need 160 more homes in a radius of two miles or less? Think about how traffic congestion will increase getting on and off Highways 72 and 35. There are no proposed red lights for Highway 72 at Byron or Highway 35 in front of Randall’s Chapel. This development will be a minimum of 160 proposed units with a minimum of 160 cars. An average American home has at least two vehicles. Add the 116 units from the Hood Avenue development and you would have a total of around 520 vehicles added to this area. And this traffic congestion will not be restricted to Byron Road but will likely traverse along to County Park Road, thus increasing congestion for all residents in the County Park area! If this development moves forward, water issues will also be a huge problem because the area has always had drainage issues. The completion of the access road along Highway 72 will further increase water drainage into this area. The proposed development, with the minimum of 160 homes, will destroy local wildlife habitat and create even more problems with our schools. Also, are our hospital, police department, and fire stations sufficiently staffed to serve the new residents? Should we bring in more residents if the city is not ready? Should we disrupt our infrastructure by adding 160 more homes when the Hood Avenue addition of 116 homes has not even built or sold the first unit? Finally, the rezoning of this area to allow high-density housing will lower property values in the existing neighborhoods. Other cities that have developed such subdivisions have done so without disrupting existing R1 neighborhoods. In fact, the Scottsboro City Planning Commission appointed by this City Council and/or mayor voted 5-1 to disallow the rezoning. We ask the same consideration from our Council members.”

According to the slide show presented to the Scottsboro City Council, approximately 150 homes would be developed in Stonebridge with green space and buffers installed to separate existing homes.