Carterville considers whether to add multi-family zoning

The City of Carterville, in the process of reviewing its planning and zoning map, will hold a public hearing at 5 p.m. Monday about possibly adding an R-3 (multi-family) classification.

City Administrator Will Cline says there have been a couple of inquiries about building apartment complexes with four units, either on ground level or two story. No plans have been presented, but Cline says “we need to correct things before somebody does.”

The current code only defines R-1 (single-family) and R-2 (duplex). A simple solution, Cline said, would be to redefine R-2 as multi-family.

Mayor Alan Griffin says the City Council is beginning to review the planning and zoning map to see what changes need to be made. Even commercial zones are “up in the air,” he says.

The overall goal, he says, is to “make sure it’s (zoning map) right and to make it fair to everybody.”

Meanwhile, he says alleys that have no utilities in them are being identified and vacated so the public works staff is not responsible for maintaining them.