Brookville Planning Commission Chairperson Ryan Henderson discusses the public hearing on the proposed ordinance to establish zoning classifications for recently annexed Clay Township land.
Terry Baver | The Register-Herald
BROOKVILLE — Planning commission sent to council its final approval of an ordinance that will establish the zoning classifications for 59 acres of recently annexed Clay Township land located at the corner of Upper Lewisburg-Salem and Brookville-Phillipsburg roads.
According to Brookville Law Director Rod Stephan, the city’s charter requires planning commission to make a final recommendation to council on the ordinance.
“The proposed zoning classifications are to have approximately 23.4 acres of general business district,” Brookville Law Director Rod Stephan said.
“The remainder of the land, approximately 35.5 acres, would be classified as R-1B urban residential district for single-family housing,” Stephan continued.
“The ordinance would require a buffer to be placed around any adjacent properties in the township that has zoning or a zoning use incompatible with these uses,” Stephan noted.
Planning commission made its recommendation to approve the ordinance to council after a public hearing on the issue was held March 7 in council chambers.
“Did you get any negative feedback at the public hearing?” planning commission member Ken Claggett asked.
“We didn’t get any negative feedback. We did get some questions from residents in the area,” Stephan replied.
Planning commission president Ryan Henderson also said he didn’t hear any negative comments at the public hearing.
“I’d say we received two major comments from adjacent property owners just concerned what was going to go on the land,” Henderson said.
“They also asked if we know what the layout is going to look like and will lights be shining into their windows from driveways across the road from their property,” Henderson added.
“Other than that, there’s nothing that a new developer couldn’t accommodate in the next steps as we move forward with this,” Henderson said.
“I think they were actually positive after they heard there wasn’t going to be a warehouse sitting across the road from them,” councilmember Curt Schreier said.
At the public hearing, Clay Township resident Ray Corder, who owns two properties on Brookville-Phillipsburg Road that are located across the street from the planned development, voiced concern with the possibility of smaller houses being constructed on the property that is designated for R-1B single-family housing.
Stephan noted at the public hearing the R-1B classification is for “single-family housing with a minimum square footage of 1,600 square feet.”
“I do wish they would consider making it R-1A instead of R1-B because we and our neighbors are on larger properties out there,” Corder said.
Clay Township resident Mark Smoot, who lives next to Corder on Brookville-Phillipsburg Road, also voiced concern with the possibility of smaller houses being built on the property.
“You said 1,600 square feet. We have to be concerned with our property values,” Smoot said.
Councilmember J.D. Fowler said it’s unlikely many of the homes built on the property will only be 1,600 square feet.
“The 1,600 feet figure is the minimum. I think that was the minimum we had for the houses built on Westbrook Road. Most of the houses aren’t 1,600 square feet. They are quite a bit larger,” Fowler said.
Stephan agreed.
“In our R-1B areas, almost all the houses in Hunters Run are more than 2,000 square feet. We have some that are closer to 3,000 square feet. It is the same with Meadows of Brookville. There is only a couple that are under 2,000 square feet,” Stephan said.
The ordinance will now go to council.
If council gives its approval, the ordinance will take effect in 30 days.
Reach Terry Baver at [email protected]
