Desloge Board denies two proposals for rezoning

DESLOGE – Much of the discussion at Monday’s Desloge Board of Aldermen meeting centered around a rezoning request made by Roy and Jerri Wyatt to rezone 417 Highley Lane from R-1 to RP-3. According to the Wyatts, the reason they were seeking to have the property rezoned was to build apartments.

“The need is there for more apartments in Desloge,” said Jerri Wyatt. “We have brought the Wal-Mart Supercenter in and have built prisons and these people need a place to live. The average age of the tenant in the apartments that we have built is 42 years old. Our apartments are not low income. They are very nice and are an asset to the community.”

Several residents who are neighbors of the property in question attended the meeting and made their feelings known during the public discussion part of the meeting.

“We purchased our home from the Wyatts and were told that the parcel of land in question would either be condos or residential homes,” said Beth Ketcherside. “Because of the apartments that have already been built around our home we have been told by local realtors that our six-year-old home has already depreciated by 25 percent.”

Bill Hill, another resident who would be affected by the apartments, said he didn’t doubt the need is there for apartments, however, what the city doesn’t want is apartments next to single family homes.

“I am asking the city for protection,” said Chris Hill. “I am asking the city to protect my property value as well as every other resident’s.”

Following the public discussion the board elected to side with the Planning Zoning Commission’s recommendation to deny the request.

The board also denied a request to rezone the proposed Allison and Abbey Lane from R-1 to R-2. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended to the board that the request be denied until the new zoning codes go into effect.

In other matters the board approved the purchase of Animal Transport Units from Deerskin for $4,456.70. The board tabled measures that dealt with the purchase of new restrooms for Brightwell Park and computers for the court.

The board approved the purchase of the Miners Lumber Company for $220,000. The property will be used to house the Desloge City Hall along with the Desloge Municipal Court. The board also gave authorization for the city to enter into a lease-purchase agreement to the purchase of the property. The city will make five annual payments of $50,534 at an interest rate of 4.8 percent.

The board denied a request to vacate an alleyway between North Desloge Drive and Willow Street. A temporary liquor license was granted to the Desloge Chamber of Commerce for the Desloge Labor Day Picnic and the board approved amended the 2004-2005 budget by putting $399,800 into the Capital Fund.