Village of Forest Hills
Public Hearing Regarding Adoption of Proposed Zoning Ordinances
Monday, June 17, 2002
7:00 PM
Jackson County Recreation Center, Cullowhee
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Dick Iobst, Chairperson pro tem. Attending were Councilpersons Jim Wallace and Sue Burton; Assistant Clerk Elsie Beaver; Sylva Herald reporter Rose Hooper; and approximately 20 residents of the Village. Also in attendance were Property Owner/Builder James Hooper, Real Estate Agent Jane Clark, Surveyor Randell Davenport, and Architect Tom Ritter providing information on the proposed Mini Mall to be built along the entrance to the Village of Forest Hills on North Country Club Drive.
A short prayer was said by Dick Iobst who then opened the hearing by stating the form that would be followed. The number of speakers was limited to 12 at five minutes each. If needed, one additional minute to summarize was granted to each speaker. Speakers were those who had signed up to speak about the adoption of the proposed zoning ordinances
In response to the request to approve the minutes of the last meeting, Jim Wallace moved to accept the minutes with corrections. (A summary of the corrections is on file with the Village Clerk.) Sue Burton seconded the motion. Passed.
The first to speak was Mary Iobst who read her statement stressing the importance of maintaining the residential quality of the Village. She asked the Council to stay fast to the original zoning ordinance of the Village.
Second to speak was owner of the University Inn, Nancy Mueller. She requested the Councils’ assurance in writing that the Inn is to be “grandfathered in” as commercial property within the proposed zoning ordinance.
The next group of speakers included James Hooper, who introduced his committee consisting of Jane Clark, Tom Ritter, and Randell Davonport who outlined the positive attributes of having a Mini Mall within the village ETJ area. Mr. Ritter displayed the architectural drawings of the Mall. Mr. Hooper requested that the Council approve a Commercial District be left in the proposed council amendments to the zoning ordinances.
Speakers 6, 7, 8 were Charles Rush, Ruth Shuler, and Carl Iobst, signed up to speak in favor of the Council voting for the amended zoning ordinance.
Larry Kolenbrander, as speaker number 9, urged the Council to vote against the amended zoning ordinance.
Speaker number 10 was Irene Hooper, former Forest Hills Mayor. She asked to go on record as asking the Council to keep the ordinance as the planning board presented without any changes.
Con Chiger spoke as speaker number 11. He urged the Council to keep the Village as residential.
This concluded the list of people signed up to speak. Dick Iobst thanked all who had spoken and asked if any council member wished to speak. Jim Wallace then stated, “We need to end this moratorium. We should keep the zoning as R1 until there is time to think about this when we can see the whole picture.”
Further statements were made including that of Sally James, who serves on the planning board. She stated that some compromises had to be made for the good of the Village and this is what the planning board was trying to do.
Dick Iobst then asked if there was anyone else who wished to speak. Many questions were directed toward James Hooper and his committee during which a lengthy discussion took place.
Following the discussion, councilperson Iobst called for a motion to take the issue off the table. He said there was a quorum of the council in attendance and this was legal by law. Iobst also said the Mayor and our legal counsel, Jay Coward had urged that a vote be taken so the moratorium could be lifted.
Motion was then made and seconded (Wallace/Burton) to move the amended zoning ordinance off the table. Passed. Iobst then called for a vote on the motion to pass the amended zoning ordinance which was made on June 3, 2002 before the motion to table the vote on the zoning ordinance was passed. (Wallace/Burton) The vote was unanimous.
Iobst closed the hearing at 8:35 PM.
Elsie Beaver
Assistant Clerk
