Dothan planners come up with new office zoning

By Debbie Ingram

Published: July 16, 2008

It’s been a problem in Dothan for some time.

A house located on the fringe of a neighborhood between commercial and residential areas is no longer marketable as a home but can’t get rezoned for office use because of neighbors’ complaints.

Homeowners want to preserve the integrity of long-existing neighborhoods, but the house is at the end of the street and is adjacent to high-traffic roads like U.S. 231, Westgate Parkway or Ross Clark Circle.

The city’s current Office District zoning laws have tended to take an all or nothing approach. Office zoning has allowed business and professional office, public buildings, banks, pharmacies, and TV and radio stations.

Homeowners have realized properties next door might become something else eventually, they just don’t want to see busy offices come in that will increase traffic and drastically change their neighborhoods.

Offices for lawyers, dentists, CPAs and real estate agents are considered less obtrusive.

On Wednesday, City Staff Planner Kelly Schultz introduced a new class of zoning for O-2.

“Instead of creating another office zone, we have changed things around a bit,” Schultz said. “We have created a new class for business and professional offices only.”

In June, the Dothan Planning Commission voted down a rezoning request for Richard and Sue Ann Lulling of 701 Kent Drive. The couple is not able to live in the house because of the noise from nearby Ross Clark Circle, but neighbors like Jim McCory objected, saying it would open a Pandora’s Box of rezoning requests.

“To go back to that case last month,” Schultz said. “We could have presented (this new classification) here. Not allowing a bank there, not a pharmacist there, might have alleviated concerns from the adjoining neighborhood.”

Planning Commission Chairman Chuck Harris said the new classification, O-2A, is overdue, as there are a lot of areas in the city which are starting to turn to office district which “softens” the neighborhood intrusion.

“Not just because of this site. I think there are other areas around town in the same situation. I don’t want to infringe on neighbors. It is not good for a residential area,” he said.

Lan Darty, broker with Whatley & Darty Commercial Real Estate, said there are less than 50 properties that fall into transitional locations.

“I hope some of these properties will start to move,” he said. “I think it is the only hope some of these sellers have. As residential property, some of it is just worthless. You can only get so much residential rent. It will help out a lot of folks in this area that are stuck.”

The new zoning will be formally voted on by the planning commission during the Aug. 20 meeting. If approved, it will go to the Dothan City Commission for a formal vote.