A plan to land a large residential development in Smiths Grove, which has led to three deadlocked votes by the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County, has landed back in the planning commission’s lap.

Warren Fiscal Court on Tuesday heard the request of attorney Tad Pardue — representing Gallatin, Tennessee real estate developer Jeremy Riggs — to hold an on-the-record hearing of Riggs’ rezoning application, but the magistrates voted to remand the application back to the planning commission.

After hearing Pardue’s request that fiscal court rule on the rezoning and break the 2-2 stalemate in the planning commission, Second District Magistrate Tom Lawrence made a motion that the matter be sent back to the planning commission at a meeting when all five commissioners eligible to vote on the matter are present.

That motion passed 5-0 (Third District Magistrate Rick Williams was absent), and Sixth District Magistrate Ron Cummings said: “I’d rather have a recommendation from the planning commission before voting on this.”

County Judge-Executive Doug Gorman agreed, saying: “You’re asking this body to do what the planning commission is tasked to do. This is the first time I can remember an item coming here when no decision has been made (by the planning commission).”

Riggs, through his JRR Hedge Street Trust, has had three different applications to rezone property along Hedge Street just outside Smiths Grove city limits end in 2-2 ties. Under planning commission rules, only the four county representatives and the city of Smiths Grove representative are eligible to vote on the matter, and one commissioner has been absent each time.

The application to rezone the property from agriculture to single-family residential in order to develop a 76-acre, 265-lot subdivision brought out some 30 Smiths Grove residents for a July meeting at which motions first to deny and then approve the measure ended in 2-2 votes.

Riggs brought the application back in September after reducing the size of the development to 55.2 acres and 190 houses of at least 1,250 square feet, but again the commissioners ended in a deadlock.

Those arguing against the development at both meetings cited needed road improvements, safety concerns, and the need for improved water and sewer service in the area.

Pardue argued that the development meets a pressing need for affordable housing in Warren County.

Smiths Grove Mayor David Stiffey sees that need, particularly now that more manufacturing plants have set up shop in the Kentucky Transpark industrial park and the giant-sized Buc-ee’s convenience store has located in the small city; but he says the time isn’t right for this development.

Riggs’ proposed subdivision is near a 30-acre site earmarked by Warren County Public Schools for a future new North Warren Elementary School, but that is on hold until questions about sewer access and road improvements can be addressed.

“Sewer has to be in place before they’re able to even start the first house,” Stiffey said. “Water and sewer in that area have to be improved.”

Stiffey added that a plan to handle the increased traffic created by the school and the subdivision is needed before the development can move forward.

The mayor, though, realizes that this and other developments are inevitable in a fast-growing county.

“We get it, we’re going to grow,” he said. “It’s just a matter of how it’s done.”

Getting a definitive decision on rezoning the Hedge Street acreage could take a while, according to planning commission Executive Director Ben Peterson.

The next meeting that Smiths Grove representative Debbie Richey and the four county representatives are scheduled to attend is on Jan. 16, 2025.

In other action at Tuesday’s meeting, the magistrates voted to accept the $129,500 bid of RES Kentucky LLC to implement the first two phases of a water quality improvement project at Basil Griffin Park.

Stormwater Management Director Nikki Koller said in September that the project will address water quality, erosion and flooding issues at the park by creating a constructed wetland in the area near the old amphitheater and chapel.

The project is being funded largely by a Kentucky Division of Water grant.

The next Warren Fiscal Court meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 9 a.m.