STAR CITY – A Star City Council member spoke in opposition of the town’s current rezoning contemplations at a public hearing held Tuesday evening.
The Town of Star City hosted the meeting, which was held over the Zoom webinar platform, to hear from residents of the city regarding the rezoning of two separate properties in the municipality from Residential to Commercial.
These properties include 370 Broadway Ave., Block 31, Lots 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 as well as 444 Westwood Ave., Block C, Lots 9 and 10.
Star City Councilwoman Emma Luzader asked to speak as a citizen during the public hearing.
In addition to being a Council member, Luzader is a member of Star City Christian Assembly Church, which sits across an alley from 444 Westwood Ave.
Luzader said the last that she had heard as a Council member, the request for rezoning of 444 Westwood Ave. was made by a potential buyer and not by the property owner.
Star City Mayor Herman Reid refuted and updated this information. He said that the property owner sent a letter to Town Hall which stated that the property owner had contracted to sell the property and as a contingency of that sale, the property would be rezoned as commercial. The property owner further requested that the property be rezoned as commercial.
Luzader said Star City Christian Assembly has inhabited its current location for about 50 years. Prior to that, it was located in the bottom part of Luzader’s grandparents’ building on University Ave.
“Our church has a long Star City history and has served many families in and around the Star City area. My family alone has seen five generations attend the church,” she said.
The church also owns an additional two and a half vacant lots on Westwood Ave.
Luzader said that first and foremost, she wanted it to be understood that she has no issues with the current owners of 444 Westwood Ave. or the potential owners of that property.
“The current owners are good people. They have a long history at our church as well. As for the potential buyer, they appear to be good, responsible property owners. I’ve never seen or heard anything to the contrary about them,” she said.
However, Luzader said she is strictly opposed to the rezoning of 444 Westwood Ave. from Class A Residential to Commercial. By rezoning the property, the town would create a tremendous risk of potential future businesses that could be contrary to what churchgoers want to see across from their place of worship.
Luzader was concerned that once the rezoning is completed, the town may go downhill in years to come regarding the businesses it hosts.
She said rezoning the lots up for discussion would be inconsistent with the neighborhoods they are located in.
She questioned what would happen if another request was made and Council decided to rezone a property neighboring 444 Westwood Ave. from Residential to Commercial.
“Then we get a medical cannabis dispensary or a retail beer sale outlet that applies to locate there,” Luzader said.
Luzader requested that the Council not rezone the neighborhood.
She said the one and only way to address her concerns regarding rezoning in Star City would be through a variance request to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Such a request would protect the neighborhood and the properties neighboring 444 Westwood Ave. from any “undesired business” in the future.
“Then we’re in control,” Luzader said.
Reid and other Council members declined to allow the hearing to run longer when Luzader expressed that there were other residents who said they would call in to voice their concerns.
The public hearing started at 6 p.m. and was concluded by Reid at 6:10 p.m
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