Oak Ridge North considers moratorium for neighborhood business district

The Oak Ridge North City Council presented the first reading of a 90-day moratorium for new development within the B-1 neighborhood business district at a council meeting April 8.

A second reading is required before the moratorium can be passed, which would prevent new development in the business district, which includes office and commercial development along Hanna Road and Robinson Road, but not development along I-45. City Manager Vicky Rudy said developers can still build in the city during the 90 days, but must receive approval from the city council first.

Rudy said the moratorium will help the city examine those commercial areas during the comprehensive planning process to see if any zoning changes or ordinances need to be made. She said the city is considering the development of a town center in the area.

"We're protecting our city now, because anybody could come in and buy property that we don't want to," Mayor Jim Kuykendall said.

The City Council also approved the annexation of a tract of land south of City Hall, which has recently been purchased by a developer of an adjacent commercial development. Rudy said the developer plans to create an additional business park on the land similar to the current development, which includes Compadre's Texas Cafe.

Rudy said another three acres of land east of the intersection of Robinson Road and Hanna Road may require annexation for a business which hopes to occupy the property. The three acres includes the ditch south of the Oak Ridge North Commerce Park and was not originally annexed by the city years ago, she said, although city officials will discuss the annexation of the land with the property's owners.