By John Howell
The Batesville Planning Commission welcomed Melanie Buford as its newest member last Monday night.
Buford joined commissioners Willie King, Dave Billingsley, Bill Burnett, Vic Wardlaw, Judy Savage, Terry Townsend and Kim LaVergne to recommended rezoning to allow a wrecker service to operate from a Mill Cross Road location, to approve three site and design reviews and to recommend two conditional use permits.
Heavy Wreckers
Richard Shivers of Oxford told commissioners that rezoning his Mill Cross Road property from C-2 to I-1 would allow him to establish a wrecker service for the heavy towing required for 18-wheelers.
Shivers said his wrecker presently drives from Oxford when the Mississippi Highway Patrol calls for removal of large vehicles wrecked on I-55. The Batesville location will allow a faster response time.
With Shivers was Terry Williams Jr. who will be employed with Shivers in the heavy wrecker service. Williams said that Shivers’ large wreckers were used in a 2014 multi-truck accident at the Long Creek bridge on I-55. Removal of the wreckage required at least one vehicle to be lifted from the creek bed onto the interstate, Williams said.
Planning commission members questioned Shivers extensively about the visibility of wrecked vehicles from the roadside. He said that the area would be fenced on all sides, with privacy fencing across its east frontage and wire fencing on three sides. The south side will not be exposed to Highway 6 because of a tree line, he said. Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend Shivers’ request to the mayor and aldermen.
Caldwell Building Expansion
Other action included:
• Approval of site and design standards submitted by contractor Jeff Swindoll to enlage the office of Caldwell Insurance on the Public Square.
“Basically it will look just like it does now, only longer,” Swindoll said. The 75-foot addition will require removal of an existing metal building and car shed, he said;
• Jay Vaghela’s request for approval of a site and building design standards change in the remodeling that will convert the present Econo Lodge into a Quality Inn was also approved by a unanimous vote of commissioners, as were all requests brought before commissioners Monday evening.
Vaghela sought approval for construction of a storage building and a privacy fence. Approval was voted after the motel owner assured commissioners that the building’s exterior would be from the same material as had already been approved for the motel’s exterior;
• Mike Fudge’s site and building design standards for his property at 336 Highway 51 South was also approved.
“I want to redo the front so everyone knows its a new business and give them the best chance they can,” Fudge said;
• Planning commissioners approved Huddle House’s request for a remodeling that will update the restaurant on Lakewood Drive. Huddle House Director of Operations for North Mississippi, Al Bonfonti, said the remodeling is part of the franchise-wide facelift and will include the construction of a tower as part of the building’s facade.
“Towers must be the going thing,” one commissioner said as they voted approval;
• Batesville Main Street Manager Colleen Clark’s request for two conditional use permits were approved for recommendation to the mayor and aldermen.
LaVergne’s motion to approve the requests stipulated that the permits be issued for three years, alleviating the requirement that Clark return each year to make the requests.
The requests are for continued operation of the Square Market from June through October and for the Springfest children’s carnival rides May 13 and 14.
King New Chairman
At the end of the meeting, LaVergne made the unusual request that she be allowed to resign as Planning Commission Chairman and that Vice-Chairman King be elected chairman.
King has chaired most meetings of the commission in LaVergne’s absences since her election. King’s selection received the unanimous vote of commissioners as did LaVergne’s motion that Billingley be elected vice-chairman.