John Coffelt, Editor

The Manchester Historic Commission declined to make either a positive or negative recommendation during the April 3 meeting regarding a Peoples Bank and Trust request to have its vacant lot on the corner of Irwin St. and Hillsboro Boulevard rezoned out of the downtown historic district.

Following a lengthy discussion, the commission moved to postpone the matter until a special call meeting at 6 p.m. on April 24. 

A letter by the bank was received by the city April 3 making the request to remove the site of a planned ATM. Procedurally, the Historic Zoning Commission would make a positive or negative recommendation, but the Board of Mayor and Aldermen will have the final say on what properties are included in the historic district.

The lot has been mostly unused since Peoples moved from its location on the square to its main location from further south on Hillsboro Boulevard before the historic district was formed in 2007.

Peoples’ site plan was unanimously approved for the ATM by the Manchester Planning Commission in October, but had to appear before Historic Zoning for approval of a proposed LED sign.

Commission member Will Painter was concerned with the precedence a positive action would set.

“If someone doesn’t like the rules, then they just take their property out,” he said. “A building willing … to not take any historic improvement grants and located in the center of the square … could do whatever they wanted.” 

He however noted that other properties were cut out initially when the historic district map was drawn and that the contention Peoples has over the sign regulations do not apply to the competitor’s signs across the street outside the Historic District.

Ellen Briggs said that Peoples Bank was given the same option to not be included in the historic district as was First National Bank that chose to be excluded.

“I think it needs to be looked into,” she said, also suggesting requesting guidance on the matter from the state.

Commission member Ken Seuberling confirmed that Peoples Bank has never had a structure on that parking lot site.  He called the property a critical entrance to the heart of the town.

Director of Codes Brittany Fiske said that the ordinances which define the map of the historic district are defined by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

“It doesn’t have to before the Planning Commission,” Fiske said. “Changes in the boundaries of the historical district or landmarks may occur after a recommendation by the historical zoning commission and approved by the board.”   

Fiske said the difference with this request is that there is not a building on the site.

“Bases on this part of the municipal code…the significance of the Historical Overlay is structures, so I guess you guys would be more likely to send this with a positive recommendation…”

The matter will go before BOMA in May.

 “I don’t want to drag this out,” Mayor Joey Hobbs said. “I intend to put this on the agenda with or without recommendation. I think it would be good if you guys did have a recommendation.”

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.