OAK RIDGE - As a real estate agent, Tammy Gardner said it may seem "backwards" that she and her home-building husband, Bryan, want to rezone nearly 25 acres of their property northwest of Oak Ridge from residential to agricultural.
Five years ago, Bryan planned to build houses on the tract on Warner Road east of Happy Hill Road in Oak Ridge's extraterritorial jurisdiction. As a result, the couple sought the rezoning of the 24.6 acres from agricultural to RS-40 (Residential). The Oak Ridge Town Council approved the request.
Now the couple is trying to reverse the zoning. The town's Planning and Zoning Board will hear their request this Thursday, Dec. 17, to rezone the property from RS-40 to agricultural. Tammy serves on the board, so will request to be recused from the board's discussion about the property.
The Town Council will consider the rezoning request in a later meeting.
The land is part of 87 acres on which the couple lives.
"We decided not to build on it," Tammy said in an interview earlier this week. "It is nice to have the country appeal."
