The Enfield Alliance Coalition extends its heartfelt congratulations to the Enfield Planning and Zoning Board and town commissioners for their unwavering commitment and dedication to facilitating the use of small lots.
During the course of more than a year, the Enfield Planning and Zoning Board, in collaboration with the town attorney, undertook a comprehensive review of the town's ordinances pertaining to lot sizes.
Formerly, our town's regulations stipulated that lots had to be a minimum of 7,500 square feet for construction to take place.
This requirement posed a significant challenge, as many existing homes in our community did not conform to these specifications.
Consequently, if an old home were to be demolished, reconstruction on a lot of less than 7,500 square feet was not permitted.
This unfortunate circumstance led to a loss of value for these properties. It's worth noting that owners were still required to pay land taxes and maintain the property, despite these constraints.
Commissioner Bobby Whitaker deserves special recognition for his unwavering commitment to our community.
He attended every Enfield Planning and Zoning meeting and actively participated in the entire process, fully comprehending the profound implications for our fellow citizens.
The previous 7,500 square foot ordinance had forced many residents to leave Enfield.
In 1981, our town was home to 3,800 residents, but today we stand at around 2,000, resulting in a considerable adverse economic impact on the town.
The reduced population has hindered our ability to attract businesses, leading to losses in tax revenue, sales, utilities, water, sewer services, and job opportunities. Restoring the lot sizes to their original requirements will empower owners to rebuild or sell their properties, potentially recovering some of these losses.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Co-Chair Tony Silver, Ronnie Locke, and the entire planning and zoning board, Chair TD Whitaker, Molly Yates, Calvin Pittman, Jerome Battle, Jennifer Locke McCann, and Larry Perkins, for their relentless efforts during the past year.
They dedicated their time to thoroughly investigate and analyze the implications of these changes for our town and its citizens.
It's evident that many of our fellow residents are in need of affordable housing, with a significant portion living at or below the poverty line.
While the reduction in lot sizes does not guarantee the development of new affordable housing, primarily due to construction costs, it does open up possibilities for providing more housing options.
Once again, we wholeheartedly congratulate Commissioner Bobby Whitaker for his exceptional leadership and for initiating the motion to pass this crucial ordinance. We also extend our appreciation to Kent Holmes for seconding the motion, and our thanks go out to Mayor Pro-Tem Bud Whitaker, Commissioner Tracy Joyner, and Commissioner Kenneth Ward for their votes in favor of this motion.
This progressive decision holds the potential to bring about positive change in our community, and we look forward to a brighter future for Enfield.
Brenda Greene
Enfield Alliance Coalition