No Motion, No Vote: Council Inaction Stalls 30-Acre Winchester Development

WINCHESTER, TN - A major development proposal in Winchester has been put on hold after a rezoning request for nearly 30 acres of land near Food City failed to reach a final vote at Monday night’s city council meeting. The property, currently zoned C-2 for business, was under consideration for C-3 zoning to allow a mixed-use project featuring apartments, a hotel, and new retail space. City officials and local realtors have noted that Winchester continues to face a significant shortage of rental housing, and the project was viewed by many as a potential step toward easing that pressure.

The rezoning request had already passed the first two stages of the approval process, including a unanimous vote of support from council members at its previous appearance. However, approximately 100 residents from the nearby Favre Circle subdivision submitted a petition opposing the change, citing concerns about privacy, drainage, and the impact of additional development near their neighborhood. According to city records, the developer had previously worked with officials to address those issues through required engineering measures and site adjustments.

At Monday’s meeting, the developer was not present, reportedly believing the final vote would be routine given earlier approvals. Without a representative in attendance to respond to follow-up questions, no council member made a motion to bring the rezoning to the floor. Under city procedure, the absence of a motion effectively ends the proposal, forcing the developer to restart the process from the beginning if they wish to move forward.

The setback is expected to delay any potential sale or construction by at least three to six months. Residents remain divided, with some urging caution on large-scale development and others expressing frustration that a needed housing project stalled without a clear yes or no vote from the council.

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