By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

Integrated Science and Engineering company needs to fish or cut bait, the Fayette County Planning Commission said last week.

The group ignored the firm's request for more time on its rezoning request for a proposed industrial park on 28 acres on Rockwood Road, and voted to send the request on to the Board of Commissioners with a recommendation that it be denied.

“It's kind of unfair to publicize public hearings... and then we keep tabling,” said Planning Commission Chairman Bob Harbison before making a motion to proceed with the rezoning and deny the firm's request that it be tabled. The request has been on the group's agenda twice before, and ISE has asked for tabling both times.

Commission member Al Gilbert said someone from the company had talked to him about the need to table the request, and he had told that person that a representative of the company should attend the meeting to explain. No one from ISE attended, and Gilbert abstained from the vote to deny the request to table.

The flag-shaped property, currently owned by Larry Landrum, is connected to the road only by a 65-foot-wide strip of land, not enough for an access road into the site, said Kathy Zeitler, zoning administrator. A concept plan submitted by ISE shows access to the property from a future street that is to be built by owners of adjoining property.

“The concept plan is not proposing access from an existing public street, but rather a future street to be developed by others,” Zeitler said in her written comments on the rezoning. “There are concerns that the future street by others may not be constructed and therefore rezoning of the subject property may be premature.”

Zeitler said the reason for continuing to table the request seems to be to give ISE time to negotiate with adjoining property owners for a commitment that would guarantee access to the property. “They're waiting for the property to change hands,” she said.

Commissioners said they're not waiting any longer, and voted unanimously to recommend denial. County commissioners will consider the request at their July 22 business meeting, 7 p.m. at the County Administrative Complex.

Also on the agenda will be Frank Love's request for R-45, one-acre residential zoning, for his 33.88-acre tract at the end of Antebellum Way.

Planning commissioners recommended approval of Love's plan for a fifth phase to Jeff Davis Plantation subdivision. Phase four is currently under construction, and Love said it will be more economical to finish both phases at the same time.

Extension of Antebellum Way will create a subdivision street that's almost 4,000 feet long, in violation of county standards that limit such streets to 3,000 feet.

“I don't like a 4,000-foot cul de sac, but you have no other way to get in there,” said commission member Jim Graw.

Commissioners also recommended approval of Bob Rolader and Brent Scarbrough's request to rezone just over an acre from a two-acre classification to A-R, requiring five-acre lots.

The land is to be added to Jackson Estates, a new A-R subdivision on Antioch Road.

In other business, he commission approved a preliminary plat for Blue Willow, an eight-home, 72.5-acre subdivision on Malone Road.