Posted 2:19 am Sunday, March 07, 2010
Troup Eyes New Zoning Ordinance
By KELLY GOOCH
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
TROUP -- The city of Troup is in the process of getting a new zoning ordinance and map.
City Administrator Jed Dillingham said Troup has been involved with the project for many months and it is time for the issue of zoning to be addressed.
No prospective businesses prompted the city to look at getting an ordinance, he said. However, Troup welcomes discussions with almost any commercial enterprise.
"It's a good thing to start looking toward future land use and growth and development and enhanced property values," Dillingham said.
He said the primary objective of the ordinance is not only to enhance property values of existing homes but also to concentrate Troup businesses into commercial areas.
Existing land uses will be grandfathered, meaning a home wouldn't be torn down simply because it is in an area that will allow commercial use.
"As long as they continue to use it as a residence, it (the ordinance) doesn't kick anybody out," he said.
No one spoke during the first public hearing on the proposed zoning ordinance and map. A second public hearing will take place Tuesday at the regular city council meeting.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Troup ISD Administration Building, 201 N. Carolina St.
Troup is not the only city recently looking at a revised zoning ordinance.
An ordinance was approved in Whitehouse last year.
Since the ordinance went into effect, the city has issued a permit for one new building on Texas Highway 110 North, said Mike Peterson, interim city manager for Whitehouse.
He said there are not as many restrictions for the building because it is not in the town center.
The town center encompasses Farm-to-Market Road 346 east and west of Texas Highway 110 and about one block north and south of FM 346 and Texas Highway 110.
Peterson said he is not certain what the permit applicants have planned, but he believes they have one tenant lined up and plan to have retail on another side of the building.
Overall, he said the new ordinance has not presented many problems.
"So far, everyone's been supportive of the provisions of the new ordinance. There'll be growing pains until people get accustomed to the new regulations and that will probably be the same way in Troup," he said.
"It hasn't been in effect that long and we just haven't had any test of it yet simply because of the way the economic situation is. Construction is slow. When spring gets here and FM 346 is completed, I think there'll be some definite interest in getting the Town Center started."
