The applicant is seeking to rezone Lot 1A-1 of Tract M Sunburst Subdivision No. 3, from C-1, General Commercial District, to M-H, Mobile Home District.  The existing 0.90 acre lot is generally located at 1007 Chickasaw Avenue, at the intersection of Chickasaw Avenue and Wigwam Blvd near the Hwy 59 approach at Crow Ave.  The applicant would like to rezone this lot so it is more marketable for prospective real estate buyers.  The M-H, Mobile Home District is an appropriate zoning designation for this lot.

A majority of  this parcel was previously zoned M-H, Mobile Home District.  In 2014 the City of Gillette approved a request to rezone this lot to C-1, General Commercial District, from M-H, Mobile Home District.  Currently, there is a single family log home located on this lot.  Locating a business on this property under its existing zoning designation as C-1, General Commercial, will require several upgrades including, removal or alteration of the residential structure; off-street parking and loading; landscaping and screening; and a fence or other improvements to be installed to "buffer" this lot from the surrounding residentially zoned lots.

Wigwam Boulevard is adjacent to this lot along the North side of the property.  The M-H, Mobile Home District, is located west of this lot.  The C-1, General Commercial District, is located West and South of this lot.  This lot has frontage along both Chickasaw Avenue and Wigwam Boulevard.  This lot has access from Chickasaw Avenue.  Chickasaw Avenue is not  intended for commercial traffic. Every lot that has access from Chickasaw Avenue is zoned residential. Although this lot also has frontage along Wigwam Boulevard, accessing a commercial parcel from Wigwam is not ideal, based on the proximity of the Hwy 59 access at Crow Avenue. Wigam Boulevard dead ends at the approach to the C-1 lot located immediately south of Crow Avenue.

The rezoning of this lot is consistent with the goals and objectives listed in the City of Gillette Comprehensive Plan. The current Comprehensive Plan has designated the future land use for this parcel as residential. All utilities are available to serve this lot.

An Amendment to the Zoning Map shall not take place unless at least one (1) of two (2) criteria exists as set forth in Section 12 of the City of Gillette Zoning Ordinance.

(1) The zoning map may be amended when there is a need to correct an obvious error. In this case, there was no error.

(2) The zoning map may be amended to recognize changing conditions within the City. This request does recognize changing conditions within the City by acknowledging the downturn in Gillette's economy. Undeveloped commercial lots are not nearly as viable as they were a few years ago.

Section 12 of the City of Gillette Zoning Ordinances requires that an area being rezoned M-H, Mobile Home District be a minimum of five acres. When combined with the adjacent parcels zoned M-H, Mobile Home District, this request meets the minimum size requirements.