Public Opinion Split On North Lamar/Chickasaw Road "TND"

On North Lamar and Chickasaw Road lies a 47-acre plot of land which could play a vital role in the future of the city of Oxford. The land was approved for rezoning by the Board of Aldermen in late March for the land to become a “traditional neighborhood development.” While you may hear neighborhood and think only homes, the city’s’ Vision 2037 plan has a vast array of possibilities for the land. 
Primary uses are generally single-family residential housing, featuring a small business center, providing services such as a library, small-scale store, coffee shops, bank or other neighborhood-oriented businesses to this center for residential use. The TND may feature parks, schools or other public features and it should be easily navigated on foot for residents, providing an ease to traverse the neighborhood to the city center for enjoyment and use.
According to Gray Parker, one of Oxford’s city planners, the development still has a long road ahead due to a lengthy approval process for each step of the project, and no timetable can be estimated at this time. But this hasn’t stopped Oxonians from voicing their opinions on the matter.
Those in favor of the development discuss the economic benefits of a TND along with the opportunities for its residents. 

Not everyone is on board for the development, especially those who currently reside in the area. Concerns over property values, construction and more have been raised as to why the land should remain undeveloped. Others state that more time needs to be devoted to planning before the project moves forward. 



There are many more examples of public support and opposition in emails written to city officials which can be seen on the Board of Aldermen’s agenda, here. 
Parker stated that public opinion is always welcomed at planning commission meetings, which take place on the second Monday of each month at 5 p.m. Now that the rezoning has been approved, the developers will begin constructing site plans for the Planning Department and Planning Commission’s approval. An updated land development code is set to be rolled out this summer which citizens are also encouraged to see in order to follow along with the design process of the TND. 

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Steven Gagliano is a writer for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at steven.gagliano@hottytoddy.com. 
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