A public hearing held by the Ashville City Council Monday had mixed reviews concerning the rezoning of 2.06 acres owned by Larry D. Strother.At the March 24 Council meeting, the Council approved rezoning the property on U.S. 231 South from R-1 to B-2 after the Ashville Planning and Zoning Board had given its stamp of approval.
While adjoining property owners to Strother did not mind the rezoning, Butch and Sherry Herren voiced opposition during the public hearing.
“This property has restrictions and covenants, it’s recorded at the courthouse and they knew that when they bought it,” said Butch Herron. “I would like to have at least 30 days to get in touch with the other landowners, get us an attorney and look at the civil part of this. They should have never put that building in there. We have a lot of money invested over there and a lot of people are building fine homes. I do not want it to end up looking like Pinedale Shores.”
Sherry Herren had photographs of Strother’s property where he has set up a building to do hobby work.
“I want you to know it is not a hobby,” she said. “He is running a business with no bathroom and no utilities. He has everything from golf carts to 4-wheelers to tractors to trailers to motorcycles sitting out there. That is not a hobby.”
Mrs. Herren wants everyone to abide by the rules.
“According to the covenant, 75 percent of the landowners have to agree before the chances can be made,” she said. “And they are recorded at the courthouse because I picked up a copy today at the courthouse.”
Mayor Robert McKay suggested the council turn this matter over to city attorney Alex Weisskopf for his review over the next two weeks before the next council meeting.
“Hopefully by then, we will have a clarification,” McKay said. “I’m positive our attorney will lead us in the right direction.”
Before the public hearing was adjourned, Mrs. Herron wanted to know how Strother could be running a business for the past year and the property has not been officially rezoned.
McKay said they have the paperwork in place and they went through the process of the Planning and Zoning Board.
“It was presented to the Council and now we will turn it over to Mr. Weisskopf to make sure we all acted in the proper way,” McKay said. “In two weeks we will go with our attorney’s recommendation.”
