Planning commission approves Southern Oaks Phase 2 preliminary plat, recommends rezoning of Lot 1 to C-3 limited-use

The City of Jonesboro Metropolitan Area Planning Commission on July 14 approved the preliminary plat for Southern Oaks Phase 2 and issued a favorable recommendation to the City Council to rezone Lot 1 at 1400 Southern Ridge from R-1 to C-3 with a limited-use overlay.

The rezoning request, presented by applicant Carol Caldwell, would allow a set list of commercial uses on Lot 1 adjacent to an arterial street; staff told commissioners the preliminary plat meets the subdivision code and recommended approval. The commission approved the plat and then voted to forward a favorable rezoning recommendation to the council. The council must schedule the matter before Thursday at 10:00 for final action.

"I'm wanting to rezone the lot 1 to commercial," said Carol Caldwell, the applicant. "I'm building a grocery store right next to it." Garrett Dunham, the applicant's representative, read the Exhibit A list of permitted uses included in the limited-use overlay, naming examples such as assisted living, medical service, pharmacy, general restaurant (not fast food), retail and office.

A nearby resident who identified herself as Juanita said she and her neighbors received notice but lacked clarity about the planned use and worried about impacts. "I don't want something that's gonna impact my house specifically… with lighting or the type of facility that they're planning if it gets very noisy," she said.

City planning staff told the commission that the plat meets all subdivision requirements and recommended approval with standard stipulations. Staff said lighting, screening and stormwater will be reviewed during the site-plan and development-review stages and that photometric plans should demonstrate minimal light spill onto adjacent residential lots: "That'll be looked at as when they decide what they're gonna put there… It should be at 0 [at the residential boundary]," the planner said.

Commission discussion included a confirmation from the applicant and staff that a 30-foot buffer plus screening will be required around the commercial parcel and that detention improvements are planned to address downstream drainage. Caldwell emphasized she owns multiple lots in the development and said she would not build something harmful to neighboring homes.

The planning commission recorded the motion and voice vote in favor of the rezoning recommendation; the hearing record does not include a roll-call tally. The rezoning recommendation will be placed on the City Council agenda for final consideration.