BEDFORD – The Bedford Plan Commission voted during a meeting on Tuesday to move a request from Jerry Bell for a minor subdivision of his Mitchell Road property to a public hearing.
Bell is seeking to divide his property at 3148 Mitchell Rd. into two separate lots, one to be zoned as a business, the other a residential property.
The lot is currently the site of Bell’s Vacuum and Appliance of Bedford, as well as a single family residential home next door, with Bell seeking to divide the property in the center to separate the two buildings.
Travis Norman, who spoke at the meeting on behalf of the request, said Bell currently has a buyer interested in acquiring the business property, which is why he is seeking to separate the two.
A potential issue with separating the two buildings to different lots could be the septic system.
It was expressed at the meeting by Norman that it is unknown at the time if the two utilize separate septic systems. Brandon Woodward, Planning and Zoning Director for the City of Bedford, said that the property could potentially be connected to the city’s sewer, though they would need to bore under the four lane roadway to connect it on the other side.
Woodward also noted that without a proper utilities setup, the Planning Department would be unable to issue a certificate of occupancy for the property. Additionally, the Lawrence County Health Department would need to sign off on any potential septic set-up before the business could be utilized by a buyer.
Norman advised the commission that he would obtain information about the septic before the next meeting to report back.
