Published: February 08, 2006 06:56 pm      

Jackson OKs new funeral home

Plan must meet code requirements

With the approval of a rezoning application, a new funeral home could soon be built on North Benton Street. The action took place during the Jackson City Council’s January 17 meeting.

Chester Adams’ application for rezoning .9 acres on North Benton Street sought to change the zoning from RM (Multifamily Residential) to C-2 (Neighborhood Business) for the purpose of building a funeral home. Adams was present at the meeting, and distributed a site plan to the mayor and council.

Adams told the council he plans to remove an old store building and two homes on the lot. He will then build a new building where the houses stood and put a parking lot where the old store was. He said there would be three entrances to the property.

Councilman Harold “Doc” McMichael asked Adams about a ravine on the back of the property.

Adams replied that he would put a pipe in to catch water, and fill the ravine in.

“So you’ll have to haul dirt in?” asked McMichael.

“Yes,” said Adams.

Jim Trenton, a resident of High Falls and president of the Clean Up Butts Association, spoke in favor of the rezoning and of Adams’ plan. “It will take down three dilapidated buildings and improve the city,” he said.

Councilman Tommy Raney asked what size building Adams planned to build.

Adams said it would be 2,300 square feet.

Raney suggested having the Community Development Department approve the number of parking spaces needed for a building that size.

Mayor Charlie Brown noted that the city council does not approve site plans, only the rezoning. If there is a problem with the site plan, he added, the Community Development Department would not issue a building permit.

McMichael made a motion to approve the rezoning based on Community Development’s approval of Adams’ site plan, and his motion passed 5-0.

Earlier in the meeting, Trenton spoke to the mayor and council, asking them to enforce existing laws to clean up junk vehicles, dilapidated houses and other debris that make the City of Jackson not look good. He presented them with dozens of photographs of such violations he found in the city recently.

Also at the meeting:

The Council voted 4-1 to employ Holly Williamson as a dispatcher at the Jackson Police Department. Councilman Lewis Sims voted against the hiring.

Another 4-1 vote, with Sims dissenting, was cast to purchase one police car and one Ford Expedition for the department. Police Chief Mike Riley said the cost of each vehicle is approximately $22,000. In recent weeks, the city lost two patrol cars in two separate accidents. One will be repaired, but until it is, the department is short two vehicles.

Jerry McLaurin was reappointed to the Board of Appeals. He will serve until February 3, 2009.

Finally, the Council voted unanimously to accept a bid from Jimmy Moore for thinning the timber on land the city recently purchased on Brownlee Road. No other bids were sought for the work, but Councilman Harold “Doc” McMichael, who made the motion to accept the bid, said he has seen Moore’s work and that he trusts him to do a good job.