A town house development planned for the east side of Athens was one of several items discussed at the Athens Planning Commission’s regularly scheduled Tuesday meeting.

Atlanta developer Spence Searcy plans to build a 100-unit rental development on a soybean field north of Indian Trace Road and east of Lindsay Lane. Property owners John and Teresa Dawn Furline petitioned the commission to rezone the property from single-family residential to conventional planned unit development.

The commission voted 7-1 to send the rezoning request to the Athens City Council for consideration. The council will hold a public hearing on the request prior to a vote.

The two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments will be in two-unit, three-unit and four-unit buildings, similar to Williamsburg Square, located north of U.S. 72 on Lindsay Lane. The three-bedroom units will be two stories, while the two-bedroom units will be one level.

Each unit will have a one-car garage at the front of the building. The development will include a pool and 1,800-square-foot clubhouse.

The entrance to the project will be off Lindsay Lane, which would require an extension of the existing center turn lane. The total project size is about 19 acres, though about 63 percent will be green space. A buffer comprising a 6-foot fence and landscaping will run parallel with Lindsay Lane.

Searcy, an Athens native, believes the project will be valuable because Athens as “no high quality rental” homes. He told commissioners the project would be ideal for young professionals and aging residents who are looking to downsize their lives.

The buildings will look like a traditional residential neighborhood, Searcy said. Local homebuilder Jimmy Bryan will oversee construction. Prices will range from $1,400 per month for a two-bedroom to $1,900 per month for a three-bedroom.

Bryan told commissioners he is a member of local group Citizens for Economic Progress, which is in favor of the development. He explained the group recently met with human resources managers with local companies who explained there were no high-end rental developments for young professionals who relocate to Limestone County.

“A lot of people coming here won’t buy a house out of the chute,” Bryan said. “We feel like it’s an important project for our area.”

Some on the commission expressed concern about there being only one way in and out of the development and questioned if a gated access point should be added to Indian Trace Road for first responders. That point set off another discussion about the condition of Indian Trace Road and if it could accommodate emergency vehicles.

Mayor Ronnie Marks, who serves on the commission, said the City Council needs to examine ways to find revenue to improve both Indian Trace and Lindsay Lane.

Convenience store requests rezoning

Elsewhere Tuesday, the commission held a public hearing but took no action on a request by HBC Family LLC to rezone property at 210 W. Elm St. from neighborhood business district to traditional business district.

The request was made because the convenience store at the location cannot sell alcohol. The store is a little more than 100 feet from House of Hope Ministry and 190 feet from the sanctuary of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church. As per the general business district zoning, alcohol cannot be sold within 500 feet of a church. Businesses operating in a traditional business district may sell alcohol within 50 feet from a church.

In June, the Athens City Council upheld a decision to deny an off-premise to Jay Ramaji Inc. because of the store’s close proximity to the churches. A convenience store across the street has an off-premise beer and wine license, but is zoned as traditional business district.

Public Works Director James Rich told the commission if the property were rezoned as traditional business district, it would be an example of “spot zoning.” He added the property doesn’t meet other hallmarks of the neighborhood business district, including walkability.

The commission was initially hesitant to hold a public hearing because no one was present to speak for or against the proposal. Commissioners decided to proceed as planned, however, because the public hearing had been properly advertised.

“I talked to some of the people who go to church there, and I don’t think they’re aware this would allow alcohol sales there,” said Harold Wales, who serves on both the Planning Commission and Athens City Council. “The church is against this, unless they’ve changed their mind.”

Rich said he could not make a recommendation on the request but told commissioners there would be four more contiguous tracts seeking the same rezoning at next month’s commission meeting. Those requests would also be accompanied by public hearings.

Other business

In other business Tuesday, the planning commission:

• Held a public hearing on the request of Kenny Winter for a preliminary plat of Cherry Hills subdivision, a subdivision of 21 lots on 8.44 acres located south of Piney Creek Drive off the Plainfield Drive street stub in a conventional planned unit development. The development would be in the exclusive Canebrake community off Lindsay Lane. The commission approved the request, though residents Steve Selby and Kenneth Smith voiced concerns over flooding. Engineer Taz Morell said drainage improvements would be made to ensure 90 percent of flood waters would be diverted to hole 7 of the Canebrake golf course;

• Held a public hearing and then approved a request by Benjamin C. and Mary Kate Anderson for a final plat of Hutton Place subdivision, a subdivision of about 3.93 acres into two lots at 15450 Alabama 251;

• Approved the final plat of Pryor Park subdivision, which consolidate multiple tracts at the former Pilgrim’s Pride property off Pryor Street into a single 32-acre lot;

• Held a public hearing and then approved a request by Nick Hamlin and Sam Gates for a minor revision to the Meres Phase III master plan, located on the east side of Linton Road between Alabama 251 and Forrest Street in a conventional planned unit development; and

• Held a public hearing on Athens City Schools’ request to rezone property at the southwest corner of Pryor Street and U.S. 31 North from general business district to traditional business district. Athens City Schools Superintendent Dr. Trey Holladay said the change in zoning was sought because the property, which is owned by Athens City Schools, is close to residential areas and the new zoning would give it “more of a neighborhood feel.”

The commission voted to refer to the request to the Athens City Council, which will hold a public hearing on the issue at a later date.