What Happened to the Zoning?

The Louisville Planning Commission at its June meeting, faced with a large, vocal crowd postponed the vote until September. Vice-Mayor Marcus suggested a citizens committee be formed to make recommendations. The Louisville Citizens Association had a slate of recommendations at the July meeting which was promptly dismissed. John Loope offered his slate and asked for a vote which died for lack of a second. Then in September, without any discussion, a motion was made and seconded to follow the Town Planners recommendation to approve 5 out of 11 zonings.

The citizens expected the BOMA to follow-up in due process at its next meeting (October)with a vote --- it wasn't even on the agenda. Two of the 5 recommendations to rezone are owned by the Mayor and her husband. Another is owned by John Loope, Town Engineer and Chairman of the Planning Commission and real estate developer.

The issue now is the Town seems to be allowing industrial uses in commercial zones. There is a machine shop, complete with chemicals, 2 doors to the west of the Town Hall. This is relatively new construction but the Town has chosen to look the other way. This is the reason the citizens opposed all rezoning. Mr. Holly of Holly Electric asked for rezoning at the intersection of Samples and Topside (the Old Tea Room). This is one of the sites recommended for approval by the Planning Commission. You no doubt have noticed his 3 junk trucks parked there. If you look at the Holly Electric's lot on Louisville Road you will notice about 20 junkers. Holly is a known scavenger and he will prdictably fill the newly zoned lot with more junkers. By Town definition, a lot with more than 4 immobile, unlicensed vehicles constitues a junk yard. The citizens will be watching Holly very, very closely.

John Loope at the Septmeber meeting was asked by a couple of citizens to resign because of conflict of interest, but John just stared. Most, if not all of the properties that have inferior development in Louisville were once owned by John Loope. Could it be, "Buy from me and I'll take care of you?" Follow this issue, it is evolving --- folks are asking questions.

Louisville Zoning Regs.

At the August Planning Commission meeting an applicant asked if he could build a machine shop next to Dominos Pizza arguing that there are already two machine shops in Louisville in commercial zones. One is Hawk which may have been annexed as non-conforming and the other is just past the town hall. The question arises, "Has the town been arbitrary in enforcing its regs.?" If the town knows that machine shops are operating in a commercial zone and they are not classified as non-conforming (arise through annexation or grandfathering) uses then the town is obligated to issue a stop order. If it has been the towns practice to allow a machine shop in commercial zoning it could not stop him the applicant argued. Machine shops fit in light industrial zones, not commercial zones according to the town's regs (see town regs at www.37777.info. If the town has been arbitrary in enforcing its regs, which it clearly has, then the town's regs. may not be enforceable. The town must be willing to take legal action against violators such as Allison Boats or it may in fact render its zoning regulations unenforceable. The mayor has said publicly, "We just want to be good neighbors." We don't need a good neighbor in this instance, we need a mayor who will honor her oath of office.

Planning Commission Meeting -- July

At the Louisville Planning Commission meeting in June, Bill Marcus proposed an advisory committee to advise the Commission about the zoning applications to be reviewed at the September meeting. The Louisville Citizens Association (LCA) proposed an advisory committee consisting of Susie Reed, Rob Tingle, Jim Brown, Joe Gallaher and Wayne Lance. Bill Marcus, Vice Mayor, said "The Renegades are not going to pick the committee, the Planning Commission is." Wayne Lance, speaking for the LCA, responded, "If the Planning Commission choses the committee then it is not a citizens' committee, it is a Planning Commission committee." Chairman, John Loope, proposed the committee members (5) he had selected --- none of whom live in the historic section of Lousville where most of the new zonings are located. Bill Marcus made a motion to approve John's committee members, but the motion died for lack of a second. Deloris Brown stated that she was offended that neither of her parents was asked to be a committee member and John Loope responded that her parents would listen to them (Deloris and husband, Jim) and therefore he did not choose them. Deloris' parents are 3rd generation Louisville residents. John Loope was heard to say, "I'm over this." Hopefully that meant that John will (has) step down from the Planning Commission.