Published: July 02, 2009 01:08 pm      

Zoning change approved by commission

The London-Laurel County Planning and Zoning Commission approved a zoning change at its June 26 meeting.

They approved a request from Carl and Jerald Robinson to change the zoning of their property at the intersection of Whitley and Owen streets from R-1 Residential to C-1 Commercial. There weree no objections in a public hearing held before the meeting was called to order. The change will have to also be approved by the London City Council.

The commissioners also reviewed three deteriorated properties in the city, which they passed on to the Vacant Property Review Board. This board will hold a public hearing, the first of its kind, at 1 p.m. on July 8, at City Hall. The three properties are the Martha Hamlin estate at 123 Boring Drive, David Westley and Mary Masters property at 301 Spring Street, and Robert and Bobbie McClain’s land on Smith Lane. Nine other properties will also be reviewed on that day.

“There’s going to be 12 properties at the first one,” Gilbert said. “We didn’t get all of them in at the first meeting. There’s 24 altogether, but 12’s going to be at the first meeting.”

The purpose of the July 8 hearing is to review separate properties within the city of which the City Building Inspector Doug Gilbert considers blighted or deteriorated. The property owners or designated agent has been sent a Notice and Order by the building inspector to eliminate the conditions which are in violation of local codes or law within a 90-day time period.

“If they don’t have it done in 90 days, there has to be some reason why they can’t,” Gilbert noted. “If they would try at all, the board is not going to do anything to them. “If not, they will refer it on to City Council.”

The commissioners also reviewed a conditional use permit from Kenneth and Julie Ledford to construct three duplexes on their property on Oak Street. They also reviewed a conditional use permit from Ben Ryser Sutton and Victor Ryser Williams to construct two mini storage buildings on their property at 150 Otter Creek Drive. Both requests will be heard at the London Board of Zoning Adjustment on July 7.