By Hannah Collins
HANNAH COLLINS | The News
The Washington County Planning Commission reviewed, and recommended denial, of a small-scale future land use amendment application during their meeting on June 2. The site in question is 7.49 acres located near the intersection of Highway 77 and Pine Ridge Drive in Chipley.
The applicant, Prescript4life LLC, is proposing to change the zoning of two acres on the property from Residential Medium One to General Commercial. This request aims to expand the existing General Commercial designation into the two parcels.
On May 15, the Planning Commission held a neighborhood information meeting, which was attended by 12 neighbors, all of whom opposed the proposal. Residents expressed concern about the uncertainty surrounding potential developments on the property, noting that the property owner might propose one use but have no obligation to follow through. Many neighbors were unaware that any of the parcels were already designated for commercial use. Monty Web, a resident of Pine Ridge Drive, voiced the collective concern, stating, “We are opposed to expanding it [the commercial zoning] without knowing what may or may not be there.” Traffic was another significant concern raised by the neighbors. However, City Planner Dawn McDonald assured that, if these two parcels were developed or even kept the same, access would not be permitted through Pine Ridge Drive, the smaller street within the neighborhood. “Even if that site remained as is with both land uses, we wouldn’t allow the traffic,” McDonald stated. “We wouldn’t want to funnel traffic through that neighborhood.” Neighbors also expressed worry about preserving the vegetation between the pond and the property, emphasizing their desire for it to remain intact.
McDonald recommended denying the application, noting that during her site visit, she observed encroachment issues. Although recommending denial is quite rare, she felt it necessary to protect the surrounding neighborhoods. “We want to preserve residential neighborhoods, and that was a concern,” she explained.
The buyer of the property, Keith Hamilton, clarified that he is not a developer and addressed the encroachment issue by stating, “I want to ensure that there is a 100ft buffer zone of undisturbed/undeveloped land between the commercial area and the other lots I own and the subdivision.” Hamilton expressed his intention to make that happen. Additionally, he mentioned that he only wants to enhance the land for potential businesses and suggested that access should be from Highway 77 to address the earlier traffic concerns.
Ultimately, the Planning Commission voted to accept the staff’s recommendation for denial. The decision for denial or approval will be heard at the Washington County Board of Commissioner’s meeting June 19.
Staff Report