A group of citizens appeared before the Marion County Board of Supervisors on Monday to voice their objection to using their road for a commercial business and potential truck traffic.
The road in question is Country Club Drive off of Old Highway 35 North in Beat 2, which is a dead-end street lined with residential homes on both sides. Mike McDaniel, with Rocking M Properties, LLC, is proposing to use the road to enter onto property situated behind two of the homes. The land has been in the McDaniel family many years.
Margie Harris, a resident on Country Club Drive, said the first petition was signed only by the people who live on the road. Harris has since presented a second petition signed by more people, including some who live in the vicinity along Old Highway 35 North.
“Our first petition was seemingly ignored,” Harris said.
The group's first petition requested that McDaniel not be allowed to use the road to access the property because of potential truck traffic. She said the property he wants to access has three other existing alternative entrance locations. Harris said she was informed that Beat 2 Supervisor John Moree gave McDaniel the approval to move forward with his plans. She said she understood that not all of the supervisors had been aware of the situation.
Harris said the property that McDaniel wants to use as an industrial complex is surrounded on all sides by residential properties. She also said there are restrictive covenants that prevent businesses from operating on the street.
“The neighborhood collectively does not want a truck barn in our quiet peaceful uncommercial neighborhood. It is not safe,” Harris told the board.
She expressed concerns over the safety of children, grandchildren and the elderly residents. Another danger she said included residents possibly pulling out of their driveways along the highway. Resthaven Cemetery is already difficult to maneuver for funeral traffic as is without the addition of the trucks, she said.
“A truck barn will be nothing but detrimental to our neighborhood,” Harris said.
The group’s position cited not only safety concerns, but also an increase in traffic and noise. They are also concerned about a potential decrease in their properties values, she said, as well as any environmental issues that may go with having a truck barn in that immediate area.
Although Moree told her the property values would not be affected, Harris said the research date she found appears to contradict what Moree said.
People have recently bought homes in the area because of the peaceful, quiet and serenity in the area that will be disrupted by the sounds of the trucks going up and down the road.
Harris told the board that no one even knew that plans were in the works until there were visible markings that appeared to show where construction or bulldozer work was being planned.
“I’m asking you, the Board the Supervisors, to protect the people you are elected to serve,” Harris said.
Mimi DeOrnellas, another resident on the street, said the road McDaniel is wanting the build would cut into her front yard. They are concerned because they have a non-verbal autistic grandchild and the close proximity could present a danger. The road would also cut into their driveway, making it difficult for them to access their home.
Board Attorney Drew Foxworth asked if anyone had met directly with McDaniel, and Mimi DeOrnellas and her husband, Leo DeOrnellas, confirmed that they had previously met with him.
Foxworth said the county does vacate roads from time to time, but normally only in situations where everyone involved supports the request to have it done, which is not the case here. He said the board has encouraged both sides of the matter to try and work out an amicable agreement.
According to a statement from the board, the county cannot vacate a public road without first advertising the proposal in the newspaper for two weeks and conducting a public hearing on the matter. As of now, Foxworth said, the county has not proceeded with those steps, so the road remains public at this time.
Bill Harris asked if there was a possibility of placing a weight limit on the road, or placing a moratorium on the matter, until the hearing is held on the City’s annexation. Country Club Drive, and the property the proposed road would access, are all within the annexation area.
When contacted, McDaniel said he had no comment.
The board has taken no formal action on the matter. n
