Zoning Variance
A section of Highway 82 in Centreville City limits was approved to be rezoned to Business (B-1) instead of Residential (R-1). This approval, in the form of a Variance, is conditional and comes with requirements, including ingress/egress restrictions, buffers between commercial and Greentree residents, and final approvals from City Council before any building permits are issued.
Immediately after his request to rezone the property from residential to business passed, the property owner asked the Council if he would still be allowed to construct residential type buildings on a portion of the newly business-zoned property. This resulted in several more minutes of discussion to determine that yes, he can.
Zoning Towers
Josh Lambert requested that the vote for a zoning variance that would allow him to build a small communications antenna on his property in an R-3 neighborhood be tabled. Lambert, the owner of a local company seeking to provide high speed wireless broadband and internet services in the Centreville area said that the proposed wireless service would use low power radios to transmit wireless signals in the 2.4 Gigahertz band, a harmless frequency that is commonly used in the communications industry and in use all over the country. Lambert pointed out that the City already allowed a a cellphone communications tower to be erected in the same neighborhood, less than 2,000 feet from his home without opposition from the neighborhood.
Mayor Morton said the City would work with Lambert to find another location on City property for a communications antenna while his Zoning Variance is pending. Lambert indicated that to move to another location he would have to re-apply to the FAA for a permit because of the local airport zone and his present permit is for a specific location. Lambert also said that moving the antenna to another location means that the residents of the Walnut Street and Aldine Street area may be the last to be able to access high speed wireless broadband instead of being among the first as he had originally planned.
Zoning History
Not actually a zoning issue, it was brought before the City Council that the current owner of the old Bank Building on Courthouse Square in Centreville plans to donate the building to a non-profit entity that will benefit the City by restoring the building and putting it back to good use. Being as the 501(C)(3) non-profit entity that could do that does not yet exist, it is proposed that the building be transferred to the Centreville Historic Preservation Commission. The CHPC is presently working with an organization that could potentially restore the building. The Council approved the transfer of the property to the Centreville Historic Preservation Commission if the Owner decides to proceed.
Other Zones
The Council also approved purchase of two new Chevrolet Tahoes for the Centreville Police Department. This comes after the newest vehicle in the department, a 2009 model, had its transmission fall apart recently. It came to light that the average maintenance and repairs cost per vehicle is currently as high or more than a payment for a new vehicle. The City Council approved buying two now, and looking into additional units after the financial audit that is coming up soon for the City books.
