Providence neighbors protest proposed rezone to commercial
November 13th, 2014 Posted in OpinionPROVIDENCE — Seventeen upset residents took a stand against a rezone requested by one of their neighbors Wednesday at the city’s Planning Commission meeting.
Carol Fae Jensen Wilde, who was not in attendance, has requested that property she owns at 196 W. 100 North be rezoned from single family traditional to commercial. This proposal has not sat well with her neighbors, who hope the request will be denied.
Aerial image showing the location of the requested rezone.
“If it is zoned as commercial, I don’t really care what they build there, I don’t want it,” said Harley Christensen, who lives close to the property. “It’s a residential neighborhood. My wife and I moved here because we want to live here, but we will move away from here.”
As of now, it has not been revealed what Wilde’s plan is to do with the property if it becomes commercial, but neighbors are worried it will lower their property values. Jared Fitzgerald, who had not yet spent a night in his recently renovated home before he attended the meeting Wednesday, said it will directly affect the value of his property.
It wasn’t only the neighbors who had concerns with the rezone request. Planning commission member Kirk Allen said he is worried the zoning change would increase traffic at the 100 North and 200 West intersection, affecting children who use that route to go to school.
“That intersection seems to be a pretty hefty intersection,” Allen said. “If we were to allow a commercial piece of property, the transportation issue would have to be looked at as well.”
The commission was not planning on hearing public input on the issue Wednesday, but since so many people showed up in protest, commission member Larry Hogge asked that they be given time to consider the concerns so they could get a better understanding of the situation. A public hearing is scheduled on Dec. 10 and all who have an opinion about the rezoning have been asked to attend.
The Providence City Council will ultimately make the final decision, after the commission gives a recommendations based on the public hearing.
NW
Tags: Carol Fae Jensen Wilde, Harley Christensen, Kirk Allen, Larry Hogge, Providence Planning Commission
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