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ASPHALT PLANT APPLICANT AGAIN WITHDRAWS REZONING REQUEST

By Lightning Reports, Published: June 1, 2021

The applicant seeking a permit for an asphalt plant has once again pulled a rezoning application, causing the Henderson County Board of Commissioners to call off a meeting tonight at which it was expected to decide the case.

Southeastern Asphalt Co. owner Jeff Shipman through attorney Brian Gulden notified Henderson County Attorney Russ Burrell at 12:11 p.m. that he was pulling the application. It was the second time Shipman withdrew the application on the eve of a scheduled decision by the Board of Commissioners. He withdrew the application last December and refiled it in March, resulting in a vote for a second time by the county Planning Board to recommend that the county deny the rezoning.

Gulden referenced Commissioner Michael Edney's announcement that he planned to vote no on the rezoning request. In light of Edney's statement "and after discussing the same with other Commissioners who expressed that it would be beneficial to withdrawal the application at this time, please accept this correspondence as HS Shipman’s formal withdrawal of application #R-2021-01-C."

Organizers of the broad opposition to the rezoning celebrated the withdrawal of the request and said they would meet at the Historic  Courthouse at 6 p.m. even though no meeting will take place.

"FriendsOfEastFlatRock.org will make a public statement thanking Commissioner Mike Edney for his public announcement last Wednesday stating before the Memorial Day weekend he will vote no against the asphalt plant," Friends of East Flat Rock cofounder Michelle Tennant Nicholson said. "On behalf of all the neighbors who signed our petition and have worked tirelessly to fight this asphalt plant rezoning property next door to our churches, schools, homes, and businesses, I want to thank the Henderson County planning department for their endless hours receiving emails, letters, and phone calls.

"I also want to thank the Henderson County Planning Board. Twice now they've declined to recommend this application to the Board of Commissioners. I also want to thank the members of the press and all who donated resources to have this community discussion take place so that Henderson County could choose what's best for all of us, not just one of us."

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