Kilgore's development code plan complete

Planners hired by the city more than a year ago to work on the master plan and development code wrapped the plan up in early summer but presented the proposed development document to the city council last night.

The 126-page document is a result of six months of meetings held by the Kilgore Development Code Committee, comprised of city staff and Planning and Zoning Board members.

Stephanie Rollings, with Tyler-based Planning Concepts, explained the document combines what she called scattered ordinances into one section while another section consists of newly-created development code, such as a Land Use Chart and tables for code interpretation.

The biggest section change the committee added to the proposed document was a code concerning both business and residential landscaping and storage screening for businesses with outside stock.

"We really wanted to take a baby step in this section," Rollings said. "This document has more restrictions, but is flexible."

Other additions to the proposed document include a downtown core and interchangeable plan overlays to aid developers dealing with mixed zoning.

"With the overlays a developer can come in and design plats, in a mixed area, with ease." Rollings said.

According to Rollings, another big change to the development code is increased spacing of billboards from school zones and residential areas, as well as a reduction in billboard sizes. Rollings said one way the city could control the billboards is to buy out leases on legal nonconforming billboards, increase prices and add a fee for maintenance.

Rollings explained the new code would also eliminate the building of residential homes in commercial and manufacturing areas.

"This is not a major change," Rollings said "but it is really not appropriate for the two to mix in good zoning."

The downtown core is the only area of the city that will make provisions for new residential housing in a business zone.

Randy Renshaw, councilman, said he did not want the city to seem anti-business or anti-development by placing a lot of restrictions in the code.

"Kilgore has always been business friendly." Renshaw said. "I would like to keep it that way."

Changes council members expect to see before approving the document include updating the oil and gas section to include increased fees associated with drilling and re-drilling, as well an increased bond and insurance requirements.

The council will review the document and vote for approval at the meeting scheduled 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at City Hall in Council Chambers.