The Jay Town Council tabled a request at their Monday, August 5 meeting from Josh Kennett with the King's Harvest Food Pantry for approval to place a portable building about 16 foot by 60 foot on Cornerstone Christian Church's property to utilize as a food storage.
Council members were provided a detailed map of where the building would be.
“It is portable, so we do want to obtain another piece of property so we can better suit and serve the community with food distribution,” said Kennett.
The building will be climate-controlled and have electricity he said.
Councilwoman Maxine Ivy said she had already had a complaint and she was not aware it was happening.
Jay Town Attorney Steve Cozart told the council that property is zoned for medium density residential, which allows any uses under medium density residential or low density residential and agricultural or public or conservation.
“The way we set it up is if you are zoned under a higher zoning, then you could do any purposes that were contemplated by the lower zoning ordinances below that,” Cozart noted.
He said he could look at the proposal and give a definitive answer at a future council meeting.
Councilwoman Nina Hendricks asked if there were any other locations they had considered to place the building and noted that the building would be close to the gate, according to the map.
Kennett said they could place it back further, and he understood that due to the mixed use zoning the easement had to be at least 40 feet from the gate, but that they could place it back further.
“Beyond the zoning, the town will need to make sure this is not going to create and flooding or drainage issues,” said Cozart.
Julie Newberry, who works with Cornerstone, quoted from a Jay ordinance, 'storage buildings, utility buildings and green houses would be allowed on this property as long as it is located in a side yard or a rear yard.'
“Seeing as this storage building is going to be located in a side yard, they've already drawn out to scale with the proper setback lines that are required by ordinance,” said Newberry. “It does not interfere with any of the building requirements of a residential property, because any residential property would be allowed to have a storage or utility building. It would comply in that residential subdivision.”
Newberry said the flow of traffic will continue the same as it does to the church so it is not coming off Robin Street, so there would be no issues in the traffic flow.
The council agreed that tabling the issue until Cozart and Dewberry Engineering representative Crystal Weatherington have a chance to look at any possible flooding problems and that it complies with the town's ordinance.
