A Holland Avenue homeowner urged aldermen to come up with a better procedure than word-of-mouth when granting zoning variances, saying his opinion had been misrepresented when they allowed an antiques store to operate in the historic district.
The Mayor and Board of Aldermen on June 16 granted a five-year variance allowing a woman to open an antiques store in a house in the historic district.
The homeowner, Chip Bailey, complained to aldermen and posed questions about procedures used in granting the variance.
The board approved the variance at 506 Holland Ave., which is zoned residential and across the street from his home.
Bobbie Hitt told aldermen at that June meeting that she planned to purchase the house and convert it into an antiques shop.
She and Realtor Mike Tinsley presented aldermen with a petition signed by Darlene Cheatham of 508 Holland Ave. and Laney Wilkerson of 512 Holland Ave. saying they had no objections to the variance.
Bailey said he wasn't contacted about the proposed variance but the idea was mentioned to his wife in a casual conversation.
Her comment was that it sounded like a good idea but she didn't think it would get approval from the historic commission or the Board of Aldermen, Bailey said.
"Other than that, we were not contacted and we live directly across the street," Bailey said.
The homeowner told aldermen that he did not want to object to the variance since it had already been granted.
"I am just here to appeal to the board to come up with written guidelines so that we can know what's right and what the limits are," he said, pointing out that homeowners depend on the board to protect their residential neighborhoods.
Should Hitt later close the antiques shop, the variance would expire, Attorney Robert Thomas said.
"All she has approval for is an antiques shop," he said. "Anything else, she would have to come back to the board."
Mayor James Young voiced support for more detailed written procedures and guidelines for the board to follow when considering variances.
"The key to this is I like to keep things simple," Young said. "I want to read them in black and white as they apply to everyone involved. Written guidelines clear up a lot of matters. That will be one of the items we will be working on."
In unrelated action, Dr. Walt Willis asked the Mayor and Board of Aldermen to take over a portion of Airpark Drive which provides access to a medical clinic off Holland Avenue and other properties. In addition, Willis said he had developed another street, Pilot Drive, which provides access to a nearby personal care home now under construction.
Willis told the board that he developed Airpark Drive about 1994 and later talked to the then Board of Aldermen about the city accepting it as a street.
"I didn't follow through and get that accomplished so the road is still part of my personal holdings," Willis said. "It's a road that all of Airpark uses and also the neighborhood."
Alderman expressed support for the city taking over the streets once they are brought up to city standards and Willis agreed to return once that is ensured.
In other action last week, aldermen:
• Allowed Police Chief Dickie Sistrunk and Captain Julian Greer to attend a Mississippi Command College in Oxford July 26-31. The cost is $325 a person and five night lodging at a cost of $70 a night.
• Promoted Mark Gore from patrolman second class to drug enforcement officer with the appropriate pay scale.
• Allowed Sgt. Dan Refre to attend a one day Terrorist Threat Guidelines Class in Oxford on July 21. There is no fee.
• Paid the claims docket.
• Took the bids for asphalt under advisement for future action.
• Approved final payment of $2540.26 to Main Street Association to pay for street signage which was budgeted.
• Purchased at state contract price one 2009 Ford F555 XC for street department use at a cost of $25,176 from Butch Oswalt Ford of Gulfport.
• Employed N. L. Shaffer as engineer for the closure of the old landfill with starting date set after the Department of Environmental Quality approves the project moving forward.
• Accepted the resignation of Johnnie Osborne from the fire department. He is retiring.
• Employed Jeremy Morgan as a firefighter subject to drug testing approval to replace Osborne.
• Approved a resolution commending County Music star and Neshoba County native Marty Stuart.
• Paid Construction Services $103,611.75 for work on the senior citizens project. This is to be reimbursed by grant.
• Allowed the city clerk to attend a certified program for city clerks on Aug. 5-7 and to pay registration fee and travel.
• Approved the mayor to sign checks at Regions Bank and Citizens Bank of Philadelphia.
• Declared an old copier as surplus.
• Granted a pay increase to the following firefighters who have completed an EMT course: Dusty Warner, Patrick Warner, and Thomas Rushing.
