JOHN COFFELTEditor

The Manchester Parks and Recreation Department will soon have use of a new utility tractor and zero-turn mower. The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the $54,875 purchase during its meeting Aug. 2.

The contract authorizes the purchase of a John Deere Compact Utility Tractor with attachments for $42,944.76 and a John Deere zero-turn lawnmower for $11,930, both from TriGreen Equipment, LLC, the state general service contract vendor.

The resolution passed 5-0 with Alderman Donny Parsley absent.

Shelton Road rezoning vote postponed

Also during the meeting, the second reading of a rezoning request on Shelton Road in Manchester was postponed.

Property owned by 2415 Construction LLC has a positive recommendation by the Planning Commission and the rezoning request passed a first reading in June. The Planning Commission recommendation for rezoning was from R-1 to R-2 low density rather than the R-3 medium density that the owner requested.

Vice Mayor Mark Messick made a motion to table the second reading until all the alderman were present.

“This has been controversial since day one, and I think the whole board needs to hear it,” Messick said.

“I think it’s important that we all hear the pros and cons of this before we make one last vote on this.”

Neighbors of Shelton Road development were anticipating a look at a site rendering for the property from owner Chase Brandon at the meeting.

City Attorney Craig Johnson clarified that for a rezoning request the owner is not required by ordinance to submit a site plan for the property.

“If the developer promised you he would bring those things, then so be it, but I don’t think the Board of Mayor and Aldermen can do that,” Johnson said.

County resident Sarah Bradley pointed out to the board that the Planning Commission requested a Westwood area developer for a site plan prior to offering a rezoning recommendation, and a recent request on Spring Street was postponed at the July meeting after the City Engineer, Scot St. John, requested more information were the driveway would be located on that site.

Alderman Julie Anderson opposed tabling the vote, noting that the board minutes earlier approved a second reading with a 4-1 vote (Anderson offered the no) a rezoning request for a Murfreesboro Highway property that rezoned the parcel RS-1 to R-4.

Anderson indicated that the neighbors had now appeared at several meetings expecting a vote. Last month’s special call meeting did not have a quorum of members present.

The motion to table the vote was tabled with a 4-1 vote that was echoed in subsequent first readings of rezoning requests.

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.