The East Ridge Planning Commission met Monday evening and approved the rezoning of three properties in the city and recommended a minor amendment be made to the city’s sign ordinance.
A request from John Groves to rezone property at 401 South Howell Avenue from Residential District to Office District was approved. There was no opposition voiced by citizens and the commission approved the request unanimously but not before some provisions were added. Vehicle access would be limited to South Terrace; No dumpsters will be allowed; Outdoor lighting will be regulated; and the property will retain the existing residential structure.
Richard Tharpe filed a request with the commission to rezone 5300 Ringgold Road from General Commercial to Warehouse and Wholesale District. Officials said that Emerson Russell spoke on behalf of Tharpe who did not attend. The property had been home to an auto dealership owned by Russell. He is in the process of negotiating with a management company to convert the building on the property into a climate controlled storage facility. No opposition to the rezoning was voiced and the request passed unanimously.
David Sharp, who owns an electrical contracting business at 1521 Burns Avenue, requested a change from R-1 to General Commercial. Officials said that Sharp wanted to expand parking at his business.
With residential homes to the south of the business, the commission granted the proposal with the provision that the owner install a 10-foot landscaping buffer between the parking facility and the next door residence.
The commission approved a change to the city’s sign ordinance. One word was changed in the ordinance. It now states that “no off-premise sign shall be established within one thousand feet of any other off-premise sign on either side of a right-of-way.” The ordinance previously stated that no off-premise sign could be established within 1,000 feet of any other on the same side of the right-of-way.
All the actions of the planning commission will now go before the East Ridge City Council for consideration.
