The planning commission voted to elect its officers for 2021 and approved a significant development permit for Atwoods' new location during the planning commission meeting on Tuesday.
J.W. Smith was reelected as planning commission chairperson; Jerrod Driscoll was elected to the position of vice chairperson; and Bryan McKenzie was elected as secretary of the planning commission.
Smith was appointed to the planning commission in early 2020 and assumed the role of chairperson last year when former chairperson Todd Colvin resigned from the planning commission on Aug. 6. Colvin did not give a reason why he resigned.
Driscoll was appointed to the planning commission in 2016 to fill the vacancy left by Tony Williams, who resigned from the planning commission in July of that year, according to Senior Planner Ben Rhoads. Driscoll was reappointed to a full four year term on Jan. 1, 2018, Rhoads said. In 2020, Driscoll served as planning commission secretary.
McKenzie was approved to fill Seat 7 on the planning commission following Colvin's resignation. He began his term in September of 2020.
During the meeting the commissioners unanimously approved the significant development permit for home, farm and ranch store Atwoods to build a new location at the 300 block of Highway 59 North. The permit will go before the city board of directors on Feb. 2.
Atwoods is seeking to build a 63,170-square-foot building on three lots in the Dogwood Park Addition, Rhoads said. Staff recommended approval of the permit with three conditions prior to issuance of the building permit:
• A lot consolidation development permit needs to be filed. A lot consolidation development permit for the 300 block of North Highway 59 has been filed by Atwoods and it will also go before the city board for approval on Feb. 2.
• Atwoods will have to dedicate off-site utility easements for sewer main extension via a separate instrument.
• Final typographical corrections to the landscape plan need to be made. Rhoads did not say what those corrections were during the meeting.
Representatives from Atwoods did not attend the meeting, but the Herald-Leader spoke to Atwoods Store Manager Billy Barry on Jan. 7 about the new location.
Barry said he and his staff had outgrown their current location and needed something larger, as well as saying the old location is showing wear and tear, he said.
The new Atwoods will feature automatic doors, higher security and more spacing for extra cashiers, Barry said.
The planning commission also heard a presentation on the following items:
• A lot split development permit for 1505 S. Mount Olive St. The board approved easements for the lot split during the Dec. 1 meeting.
• A lot split development permit for lots on 21948 and 21949 Estate Dr. The board approved easements for this lot split during the Jan. 5 meeting.