MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
Posted: Friday, August 14, 2009 10:20 am

Ultimately, a man’s pleas to support his family won out over objections of neighbors at Rutherford County’s Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday night.

“When I see these, I see hope,” Commissioner Mike Sparks said about Coy Young’s rezoning and conditional-use permit request.

Young made his request to open a tack and feed store on his family’s property at 7692 Barlow Lane in Lascassas. He proposed building a $80,000-$100,000 retail store, designed like a barn to fit in with the surrounding area.

“We’re not building a Wal-Mart or anything,” Young’s son Jonathan said.

Young explained he wanted to open the feed and tack store because of a lack of such services in the rural area and because he recently lost his job in the automotive industry and his wife’s real estate job is shaky at best.

“I understand that people don’t like change. … (But) do we not have the land rights to support our families with our own land?” he asked the commission.

But some of Young’s neighbors opposed the tack shop because they fear it would hurt the rural feel of Barlow Lane.

“I don’t believe Rutherford County can sustain a retail store on Barlow Lane,” neighbor Leslie Smith Scott said, citing public safety and traffic as her main concerns.

Jeff Henry, husband of Mary Jane Smith Henry who owned land on Barlow Lane, had many concerns about the proposed store, not the least of which was the lack of a definition for agricultural services zoning.

Agricultural services falls under commercial zoning, but it not specifically laid out in the zoning resolution, County Planner Doug Demosi said.

“There’s a definition for agriculture but not a specific definition for it (agricultural services) in the zoning,” Demosi said.

Demosi said the request was placed under agricultural services because of the nature of the business. Commissioner Jack Black, who represents Lascassas said he would not support it if it weren’t classified as such

“This has been a hotly contested issue …” Black said, adding the neighbors are right to be concerned.

“I definitely feel both sides of this,” he continued before moving to approve with conditions.

The commission approved the request in a 14-7 vote with Commissioners Gary Farley, Jeff Jordan, John Rodgers, Adam Coggin, Bob BUllen, Jeff Phillips and Joyce Ealy voting against.

“I am not opposed to a tack shop but I am opposed to a commercial zone,” Phillips said explaining his vote. And Farley cited a fear of spot zoning in his explanation.

Other commission business:
• Approved state and federal aid for the EF-4 tornado that tore a 23-mile path through Rutherford County, caused more than $42 million in damage and two deaths Friday, April 10.

The federal government will pick up 75 percent, or $357,281.94, of the cost, the state 12.5 percent, or $59,546.99, and the county the remaining $60,000.

• Approved TDOT’s plans to widen New Salem Road from Cason Lane to Old Fort Parkway.

Other Public Hearings
• Unanimously approved by voice vote a rezoning and conditional-use permit request from Bruce Barrett located at 9330 Franklin Road to change the existing zoning from residential to services for an upholstery shop and motorcycle sales.

• Unanimously approved a rezoning and conditional-use permit request from Kayla Rushing located at 8999 Almaville Road to change the existing zoning from residential to transportation for a trucking firm. The business will have to install an acceleration lane and trucks will only be allowed to turn right out of the lot toward State Route 840.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.