Matters Of Rezoning Cause Worries Of Agricultural Interest And Land Development In Madison County   

By Sofia Yaker 

The Madison County Board of Commissioners met on Monday, Dec. 2 to discuss concerns about rezoning and land distribution. The board motioned to pass rezoning matters of the community, creating disappointment among community members, though matters of landowners distributing and selling land in Madison County was left unopposed, creating speculation of an unbalance between community members and landowners. 

“Do you want something right in the back door of your house?” said Scott Brown, neighbor of the Almand family. Brown, frustrated with the board’s decision to approve the rezoning of the Almand family’s property, discusses his concern of this added building invading his property and personal space. 

The board motions to vote and passes the rezoning of the property from A2 to AR in order to allow this second home for the Mandy Almand’s parents to be placed on the property. Brown, visually upset with this vote, leaves the room unhappy, mumbling under his breath. 

According to the Madison County Comprehensive Plan, agriculture, land use, and the low density of Madison County are the most popular concerns. Residents find things such as building renovations and new developments as unimportant and want to avoid an industrial and busy community. 

Relating with the concern of keeping the agriculture, Dale Berrong, a resident of Madison County, spoke in opposition to a rezoning matter for Mary German to rezone her 16.9 acres from A2 to A1 which would split the land into three homesites, taking away that land and agriculture. 

“Is the county prepared for the infrastructure for that kind of development in that area?” said Berrong. “That was not what the, the plan that we went through a couple of years ago.” 

The board votes to approve the rezoning as chairman Todd Higdon says that by approving this rezoning, they are not going against the comprehensive plan. 

While community members argue over the rezoning of property, Jay Pridgen of Pridgen Enterprises Inc. proposes phase six of the Spratlin Mill Subdivision development. Pridgen Enterprises Inc. takes agriculture property and turns it into community living to subdivide and sell property. 

The board of commissioners motioned to pass this rezoning with no opposition from the audience, even though this land will be taken and used to build houses and sell to people, contradicting the community’s importance of agriculture and land seen in the comprehensive plan. 

The board also voted to approve rezoning for John LaFever of JACOMO, LLC where he will rezone 2 acres of the 32.91 property from A1 to R1 to split and sell the remaining land. LaFever buys, rehabs and sells homes through short term rental platforms. 

A motion for the approval of a resolution to agreement amendment to the Madison County ACCG Pension Plan in regards to Water Department employees was passed and so was an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Industrial Development and Building Authority to transition the Water and Sewer Department operations to the board of commissioners which will create more infrastructure.