issues until next month

By BRIAN BLACKLEY

Managing Editor

Jan. 28, 2000 9 PM

Thursday’s Troy Zoning Board meeting didn’t fare as hot as some people suspected with two of the three issues being tabled and the third passing without opposition.

The rezoning of a lot on Botts Avenue, west of Franklin, where Dr. Todd Pearlstein is seeking to locate a new office for Southern Health Associates, LLC, was approved by unanimous vote of the Zoning Board it its brief Thursday meeting. The request was heard and approved without opposition.

The hot topic expected to be before the Zoning Board, the rezoning of an area near Memorial Stadium for condominiums, was postponed based on a request from the prospective property buyer.

"They asked that this issue be heard in our next meeting on Feb. 24," said Jim Roling, board member.

Some residents oppose the request due to concerns about traffic, property value and the proximity of a "bar and grill" to their neighborhood. The high-scale condominiums are proposed by Game Day Center Southeast, an Auburn-based company that has put similar buildings up in Auburn and the University of Alabama.

The board also tabled platt approval of a proposed new subdivision off of Spradley Drive. Roling said the board was presented with phase I of the proposal, but that more information was needed to see how the overall subdivision would be developed. Board concerns stemmed from making sure that streets and traffic flow could be handled in the plan.

"We want to make sure that the streets will all tie back together and will work with existing thoroughfares in the area," Roling said.

Walter H. Stell, an engineer working for King United Country Realty, representing the subdivision developer at the meeting. The request is for a 40-home subdivision located five lots east of Highway 87.

A similar request was hotly disputed in 1996, based on information that Spradley Drive couldn’t handle the increased traffic load that the new subdivision would likely put on it as the only thoroughfare into and out of the subdivision. It was later resolved and the subdivision was added.

The Troy Zoning Board will meet at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24 where it is expected to continue discussion on the two tabled issues.