Neighbors Fight Zoning Change
(Olive Branch, MS 7/16/2012) A long-running zoning fight in Olive Branch will go at least another round, after planners decide to re-zone some residential property as commercial.
It’s a fight that will now move to the city’s board of aldermen.
In a city among the fastest-growing in the country, development disputes are bound to happen.
And when it involves a key intersection that’s a gateway to Memphis, it’s pretty much a sure thing.
But some folks say they want to hang on to their quiet neighborhood as long as they can.
The corner of Germantown and Stateline Roads, isn’t the most bustling of intersections, but depending on what Olive Branch Aldermen decide, it could be.
For years, the property sat at the center of controversy over it’s potential development.
CVS once wanted the land for a pharmacy, but City leaders turned it down.
Now, developers have begun trying again, this time with the idea of including more property than just what’s on the corner.
Nearby homeowners, who didn’t want to go on the record, toldus they realized this key road into Memphis would someday go commercial and take in their homes, so they’re ready to sell.
Others who live just down the road say they like the quiet, semi-rural setting and don’t want it to change.
Just last week, the Olive Branch Planning Commission authorized the re-zoning of this property to commercial.
But those against the change say they’re going to fight it all the way to the Board of Aldermen.
Aldermen tell us, they only received the information on the property on Friday and it’s too early for them to form an opinion on turning this residential property into commercial land.
They’ll take up the issue at their regular meeting August 21st.
