A proposal to the Fayetteville

City Council would end a perk for developers by limiting the amount of

time a special exception for a zoning classification is effective.

The city's planning and

zoning department is recommending an ordinance change that would allow

for special exceptions to be valid for 365 days. Currently, there is no

expiration date on special exceptions, which, among other things, can

be sought to place a drive-through window, gas station or car wash in

certain commercial districts.

Approved development plans

already are valid for up to two years and would not be changed by the

new ordinance, officials said.

Councilman Al Hovey-King said

he thought 24 months might be too long for development plans to linger

on the table.

Allan Feldman, who is on the

city's planning and zoning commission, said he felt 12 months is

a good time frame for development plans, particularly since some plans

can cancel out each other. For example, he said, a developer planning

to build a restaurant serving alcohol would keep someone from building

a school on an adjacent vacant lot and vice versa, Feldman noted.

Back

to News Home Page |