Plan Commission Vote 3-2 to Recommend Denial of Rezoning Request

The Effingham City Plan Commission Tuesday voted to recommend the City Council deny a requested rezoning.

The property in question is along Miracle Avenue. A portion of the seven-acre tract is zoned light industrial, while the remainder is zoned non-urban. The request by RLM Assets is that the parcels be rezoned multi-family dwelling. The petitioners plan to build 15 eight-unit apartment buildings. Petitioner Donna Pirkle said she envisions "upscale" properties similar to the complex they already own and operate in Effingham at Merchant Street and Evergreen Avenue.

Plan Commission Chairman Brian Hayes and Vice-Chairman Dave Storm both voted in favor of recommending denial of the rezoning. Hayes said the Commission has tried to discourage residential development in commercial areas. Storm said he didn't like that there would only be one means of access and egress to the location and its proximity to the Early Learning Center

Commissioner Clint Spruell disagreed, saying he didn't see any traffic on Miracle Avenue when he visited the site and noted that a house and a church are already in the area.

Hayes, Storm and Commissioner Cindy Vogel voted in favor of recommending denial of the rezoning request, while Spruell and Commissioner Kevin Gouchenouer voted against recommending denial. Only five of the nine commissioners were present for the meeting.

The five commissioners present voted to recommend the Council approve a special use permit for development of miniwarehouses on the corner of Raney and McGrath in the City Business Park.