WQXE NEWS

Stonefield Solar Project LLC was denied a zoning change last month by the Hardin County Planning and Development Commission.

On Tuesday, the Hardin County Fiscal Court held the first of two special meetings to review Stonfield’s appeal of that decision.

Hardin County Judge-Executive Keith Taul said the Fiscal Court’s job in reviewing the record from the Planning Commission meeting is to determine if the proposed zoning change is in agreement with the county’s Comprehensive Plan.

“If we do not find that the zoning change is in agreement with the current adopted Comprehensive Plan, then in order to override the Planning Commission recommendation we must find that one or more of the following applies,” said Taul. “A, that the existing zoning classification given to the property is inappropriate and that the proposed zoning classification is appropriate, or B, that there have been major changes of economic, physical, and social nature within the area involved which were not anticipated in the adopted Comprehensive Plan, and which have substantially altered the basic character of such area.”

The court viewed the first half of the May 2 Planning Commission meeting, and will watch the second half at another special meeting scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Taul said he expects that the court will vote on the appeal at a later meeting.

Members of the Radcliff City Council called it Mayor J.J. Duvall’s 44th birthday present to himself.

The council approved the purchase of the long-vacant Redmar Plaza site, as well as the adjoining property that was once home to the Hardin County Public Health building, during their meeting Tuesday. The $2.25 million purchase plan paves the way to demolish and redevelop the properties.

Members of the city council had high praise for the mayor’s efforts.

“I know you’ve worked on this long and hard,” said Councilman Jerry Brown. “Terms as mayor, economic development, all the things that you’ve done. My congratulations, my friend.”

Councilwoman Terry Owens said the purchase is a major step, and said development will require more effort and collaboration.

“Now the challenge is to see what we can do to it next,” said Owens. “It’s going to take everybody to get there, not just one person. It’s going to take a lot of people, even people you don’t see sitting here today. That’s been the ‘ride or die’ in economic development.”

The council also approved the city’s budget for fiscal year 2023-2024, which includes pay increases for city employees including police and fire personnel. Mayor Duvall said the budget reflects the city’s big goals.

“This is one of our largest budgets, obviously, we’ve had in the city’s history at $18.6 million,” Duvall said. “There’s a lot in that budget. There’s a lot of good things, a lot of community things that we’re trying to do, but we’re being responsible with the taxpayer dollars that we’re moving forward with.”

The rezoning for the planned North Haven Subdivision at the southwest corner of the intersection of Joe Prather Highway and Patriot Parkway had its first reading. It will go up for discussion and a vote at the next city council meeting, which is scheduled for July 18.