By Tabitha Evans Moore | EDITOR & PUBLISHER

LYNCHBURG — The Metro Planning Commission will meet tonight (November 3) instead of its usual first Tuesday slot.

{Editor’s Note: Planning Commission officials moved tonight’s meeting due to an election, however after further investigation, there is no election in Moore County on Tuesday, November 4. We’ve confirmed this with election officials. We apologize for any confusion.}

On the agenda will be two items of public interest: proposed affordable-housing apartments and the idea of zoning preference by district.

Affordable Housing Apartments

Proposed affordable-housing apartments by the Gateway Development Corporation appears on the Planning Commission agenda after the Metro Council declined a request from the developer to allow the project to move forward under the previous zoning ordinance during their October meeting.

Tom Woods – a representative for the developers – appeared before the Metro Council seeking permission to move forward with a 42-unit affordable housing development on 5.1 acres located behind the Moore County Co-op. They project got derailed earlier this year when the Council voted to cap multi-family dwelling projects at just 25 units.

After discussion, Metro Councilperson Peggy Sue Blackburn made a motion to return the issue to the Metro Planning Commission for further consideration, but her motion didn’t receive a second and died on the floor.

Woods later contacted Metro Planning to request it be placed back on the agenda. The Commission will discuss it tonight without Woods present and he will be in attendance at December’s meeting, according to Commission officials.

To read out full coverage of the October meeting, click here.

{Editor’s Note: Public meeting coverage is crucial to the health of any community. This article remains free to all readers thanks to our community partners at Barrel House Barbecue. Please support the local small businesses that support your community newspaper.}

Zoning by District

According to Planning Commission Chair Dexter Golden, the Commission will also begin a discussion tonight about district-specific zoning at tonight’s meeting. This would allow individuals in the urban district and rural area to enjoy more control over what gets built in their districts and allow for consideration of specific infrastructure needs.

According to Golden, the plan to be discussed mirrors zoning in nearby Bedford County.

The Planning Commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the County Building. All Planning Commission meetings are open to the public and there will be a public comment section at the beginning of the meeting. •

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