Kingsland Considers Planning Commission

KINGSDLAND - City Attorney Thomas Burns recommended to Mayor Sharon Crosby and the Kingsland City Council last Thursday night to create a planning commission to consider future development of the city and possible areas for annexation.Burns' proposal comes after Crosby announced during the council's April meeting that the city was considering annexing the new Dollar General store into the city limits to generate additional sales tax revenue for the city. While a portion of the entrance to the parking lot is within the city limits, the store itself is outside and therefore no city sales taxes are collected.Essentially, there are two ways for the city to annex the store, Burns said: through a city ordinance or through a petition drive.The petition drive, according to Burns, would require gathering signatures from residents supporting the idea, and then having the measure put before voters. Burns said it is too late to get the annexation on this year's general election ballot in November, and it will be two years before there is another general election. The city could hold a special election before then, but Crosby has been hesitant to spend city money on a special election.As for the ordinance process, Burns said the city would need to establish a planning commission first. That commission, in turn, would assess areas within the city limits for commercial, industrial or residential development, as well as possible targets outside the city for annexation. Burns suggested planning for about 20 years out.Typically, a zoning commission creates development zones or areas within a city. Typically, those are designated as commercial/retail, industrial and residential. Burns suggested the commission could look potential retail development along Hwy. 79 not only inside the city limits, but just outside the city as well.Burns suggested a five-member planning commission. He said two can be sitting city councils members while the othe...