By Bill Short
The Millington Board of Mayor and Aldermen has passed an ordinance on first reading that would re-zone property north of West Union Road.
Board members took the action during their Feb. 14 regular monthly meeting on a motion offered by Alderman Don Lowry and seconded by Alderman Larry Dagen.
The motion was passed by six affirmative votes, with Alderman Thomas McGhee absent.
The proposed ordinance is scheduled for a public hearing and final reading at the board’s March 14 meeting.
It would re-zone 11.07 acres north of West Union Road approximately 500 feet west of Highway 51 from R-1, Low-Density Residential, to B-2, General Commercial.
At its Jan. 18 meeting, the Millington Planning Commission voted to recommend the re-zoning.
Charles Goforth, planning consultant for the city, said there are two large parcels of land north of West Union.
He noted that both this site and the one to the east are proposed for construction of a new commercial shopping center between the First Baptist Church and Highway 51.
Although the parcel along Highway 51 is zoned B-2, Goforth said the site between it and the church is R-1.
“The city’s Master Plan proposes that the entire property from the church east be commercial zoning,” he noted. “So, it’s our recommendation that this property be re-zoned to make it consistent with the Master Plan.”
Goforth recalled that “some of the people from the church” attended the Jan. 18 commission meeting.
“We’re going to be working with them on proper screening of the church and the shopping center to make everything work as harmoniously as possible,” he concluded.
At its October 2021 meeting, the Millington Industrial Development Board voted to approve an Economic Impact Plan for the Forked River Commons Project and to submit it to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
The IDB had prepared the EIP for the development of approximately 32 acres in the northwest corner of the intersection of Highway 51 and West Union Road that will consist of two separate tracts.
At its October 2021 meeting, the city board unanimously adopted a resolution approving the EIP.
The resolution states that the Plan area will be a multi-use development including retail, office and hotel components, as well as medical and/or assisted living/independent living facilities, that will be constructed in a phased manner.
The EIP will allow certain Tax Increment Financing to be provided through issuance of the IDB’s bonds, notes and other obligations in an amount not to exceed $3,516,320.
The resolution states that the TIF proceeds will be used to pay the costs of eligible public improvements related to development of the project.
The incremental property tax revenues that result from development of the Plan area will be allocated to the IDB to pay debt service of the TIF.
The IDB will issue the TIF to a lender or lenders to finance the TIF eligible costs and will pledge the TIF revenues to them to apply to the debt service.
The resolution states that the TIF will not represent or constitute a debt or “pledge of the faith and credit or the taxing power” of the IDB, the city or Shelby County.
