McKenzie Planning Commission Rejects Storage Unit Proposal

The McKenzie Municipal-Regional Planning Commission met Wednesday, April 22, at McKenzie City Hall to discuss a site plan proposal from Casey Drewry to build three mini-storage buildings on 17900 Highland Avenue.

After some discussion, the commissioners rejected Drewry’s proposal, requesting that he submit an updated parcel map for further consideration.

Commissioners AJ Maxwell, Elizabeth Owen, Sandi Roditis and Mayor Ryan Griffin established a quorum. Commissioners Carol Nanney, Bobby Young and Tim Beeler were absent.

Drewry owns the property on 17900 Highland Avenue, which is zoned B-2 (Highway Business). The property is 1.34 acres in size, and the combined size of the three proposed structures is 14,950 square feet.

The property has access to municipal water and sewer services, but the submitted site plan proposal does not show the nearest water main, sewer main or fire hydrant.

According to Community Planner Donnie Bunton, it is required that a fire hydrant be installed within 500 feet of the storage buildings, but it is up to the planning commission to enforce this rule.

Commissioner Maxwell and Mayor Griffin reviewed several resources to find the property’s nearest fire hydrant, as it was not indicated on the site plan. Griffin called McKenzie Fire Chief Brian Tucker, who informed him that the nearest fire hydrant is off of David Street — more than 500 feet away from Drewry’s property.

Additionally, an unpaved landscape zone including at least one tree every 30 feet is required along all property boundaries. Drewry’s eastern property boundary is partially paved with no landscaping or trees proposed. The southern boundary has the required landscape zone in the middle of the property but not on its eastern or western edges.

Drewry raised concerns regarding a nearby field, asking if chemicals sprayed on the field would kill any landscaping he planted.

Bunton told Drewry that he still needs to adhere to the landscaping requirement. The only exception would be if the landscaping interfered with the property’s utilities.

The planning commission requested for Drewry to resubmit a new version of the site plan including water/sewer lines, the nearest fire hydrant and the required landscaping.