By Lee Weyhrich
PINSON — The Pinson City Council last week denied rezoning for a Kellogg’s warehouse.
The change to industrial zoning in the area where the warehouse was proposed was denied. The area, located at 7068 Highway 75, is adjacent to a residential area.
“While we welcome business growth, we must regulate the correct locations,” Mayor Hoyt Sanders said. “Perhaps we can find a suitable location.”
A Pinson historical marker outside Pinson City Hall
photo by Gary Lloyd
For the vote to pass, four positive votes were needed. Dawn Tanner, Robbie Roberts and Joy McCain voted for the rezoning. Sanders and John Churchwell voted against it. Joe Cochran was not present for the vote. To be approved, the vote needed to be 2/3.
The owner of the property, Jason Stidham, wants to open the warehouse, and he has said the warehouse would be quiet, hidden from view by trees, as non-intrusive as possible and as far away on the property from housing as possible.
The proposal has been divisive among Pinson residents, Tanner said. Churchwell agreed.
“You’ve got a lot (of residents) that are for it, and a lot that are against it, and you could go almost either way, but I think that we know a lot more now than we did two weeks ago,” Churchwell said. “When we get right down to it we’ll just have to vote our best conscience on the way to go.”
The city has already designated the area as a site for future highway commercial businesses, according to the master plan. According to current zoning rules these businesses could include bus stations, funeral homes, printing and publishing businesses, automotive repair, a gym, or an automotive or recreational vehicle dealership, in addition to more commercial endeavors.
The Pinson City Council next meets Thursday, May 1 at 6:30 p.m. at Pinson City Hall.
