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No answers on Flat Creek beer

By DAVID MELSON - dmelson@t-g.com
Posted 1/14/21

Punt, pass, and kick. It wasn't a football gane Tuesday night as Bedford County Commission once again punted a decision on a zoning change for a Flat Creek market back to planning commissioners. Commissioners in December approved a zoning overlay for the area around Sunchaser Market on Highway 82 South at New Center Church Road. That decision included a grandfather clause allowing beer sales, which would apply to any store seeking such an overlay in certain rural areas of Bedford County...

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No answers on Flat Creek beer

Posted

Punt, pass, and kick.

It wasn't a football gane Tuesday night as Bedford County Commission once again punted a decision on a zoning change for a Flat Creek market back to planning commissioners.

Commissioners in December approved a zoning overlay for the area around Sunchaser Market on Highway 82 South at New Center Church Road. That decision included a grandfather clause allowing beer sales, which would apply to any store seeking such an overlay in certain rural areas of Bedford County.

Legalities involving whether existing regulations limiting beer sales within a certain distance of churches and schools were brought into question after the December meeting. Some members of nearby Flat Creek Church of Christ have spoken against beer sales. The market's owners have pleaded with commissioners to quickly make a decision so a proposed expansion, including a dining area with beer available, can take place.

On Tuesday, commissioners voted 18-0 without discussion to rescind an amendment at December's meeting, "to strike an amendment made at the previous commission meeting which resulted in a grandfather clause to the special character district overlay rural village neighborhoods and all verbiage in same related to beer sales from the resolution," County Mayor Chad Graham said.

Bedford County Planning Commission voted unanimously at a subsequent meeting to request the full commission defer the beer portion of the overlay until the state attorney general has issued a written opinion.

Commissioner Linda Yockey on Tuesday asked that the rezoning request be sent back to the planning commission with these changes to the resolution:

-Remove the added amendment allowing the grandfather clause;

-Remove all verbiage relevant to beer sales;

-Remove the phrase "long range plan" in the first paragraph;

-Make any other changes the board deems necessary.

Yockey also requested a public hearing be held after the resolution, with changes, is returned to the commission.

**School concerns

Concern over falling student test scores as a result of virtual learning due to the pandemic were expressed by Commissioner Mark Thomas.

A "continuous learning plan," described by Acting Director of Schools Karen Scroggins as a federally-funded "exhaustive summer program," is planned to get students caught up within two years.

The high school fail rate is the largest in memory, Scroggins said. Thomas emphasized the student scores are down nationwide, not just locally.

Bedford County's virtual learning program, in which students attend online long-term as opposed to temporarily, has an enrollment of 1,436, Scroggins said. Most of those are high school-aged.

Grade recovery programs to repair failing grades from previous semesters due to unintentionally missed assignments as students adjusted to virtual learning are being made available, Scroggins said in response to a comment by Commissioner Julie Sanders.

**Zoning

Zoning changes officially rezoning a former and future used car lot on Highway 82 South from residential to commercial and a location on U.S. 231 North near Shelbyville Municipal Airport and Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital from residential to office professional for a medical office were approved unanimously.

**Appointments

Drew Lane was appointed to Bedford County Planning Commission, Larry Joyce to the Bedford County Beer Board, and Mike Henry to the Bedford County E-911 Board.

**Resolution

A resolution was passed in support of state fast-track economic development funds for Uncle Nearest Distillery. The funds would be funneled through Bedford County's government, Graham said.