Matthew Burnette, Staff Writer

A first reading of an ordinance zoning the recent Oakdale Street annex by the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen as R-4 High Density Residential ended in the Board returning the zoning back to Planning with a recommendation of R-2 Low Density Residential.

The annex had been sent back to Planning originally after failing to be zoned by BOMA on Sept. 2. Planning then voted to send a recommendation of R-4 Residential back to the Board with a 3-3 tie decision that was broken by Planning Chair Mark Williams.

At the Special Call BOMA meeting, Vice Mayor Mark Messick began the discussion on the matter with a reminder to the Board that they are the only people that can zone property and that was what they were there to do.

“We’re not rezoning. We’re zoning,” he said. “We can zone anything you want to zone. If you don’t like the fact that we’re asking for R-4, make a motion to amend it to R-1, 2, or 3, and we’ll vote on it.”

Alderman Ryan French then made a motion to zone the annex as R-2 Residential with a second by Alderman James Threet.

Codes Director Brittany Fiske clarified to the Board that a zoning of R-2 Residential wouldn’t be compliant with the current Land Use Plan, so the Board would need to send it back to Planning so they can amend the Plan for low-density residential.

“So what we need to do is send it back with a recommendation?” asked Messick to the affirmative by Fiske.

French then amended his motion with a second by Threet to send an R-2 recommendation to the Planning Commission, and if that subsequently passes, that they would amend the Land Use Map for the zoning.

The motion passed 5-0 with Alderman Julie Anderson absent.