Council denies multi-family rezoning effort

The West Plains City Council denied a rezoning effort to build multi-family homes in the Morrison subdivision after a rare divided vote. The city also passed an annual resolution between the city and the health department, an agreement concerning the overpass project, and heard the first read for three bills. 

 

The Council voted against Bill 4789 in a four-to-one vote to rezone five lots in the Morrison subdivision from single family to multi-family. Councilman Johnny Murrell was the only member to vote in favor of the rezoning effort put forth by Avery Grant. Prior to the vote, Grant spoke in favor of the bill and Maureen DeMarks spoke against it. DeMarks, who lives in the area, organized a petition against the bill. The petition was signed by neighbors who lived within 275 feet of the properties on Rhonda Drive and Deatherage Avenue. “We're concerned about what it will do to the neighborhood itself, and we're also concerned about the water issue we spoke about last time.”

 

Grant thinks the effort would have been the best use of the land. “At the end of the day, the tax income that it provides... it's over $100,000 that will go to West Plains schools in the next ten years,” said Grant. “That's per se guarantee from Daniel Franks based on the assessed values alone.”

 

With the effort voted down, the five properties will remain zoned R1 Single Family.

 

The city passed Resolution 2025-02, authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with the Howell County Health Department for environmental public health services. The agreement includes inspections conducted on food service establishments, addressing complaints about these establishments, and providing education and training, among others. This was passed unanimously.

 

The city also approved the first reading of bills 4790, 4791, and 4792. The first is a petition from Richard and Carol Silvey for the city to vacate a right-of-way area near Jackson Street between Olden Street and East Third Street. The second bill is a request from Ivan Voytukhov for the city to annex a property located off of Creamery Road to be designated R3 multi-family. The final bill is for the city to adopt a fee schedule for certain services and approvals. These received approval for a second reading next month.