Construction of a new subdivision in South Hills is moving forward.
Charleston's Municipal Planning Commission gave final plat approval Wednesday for Stricklen Realty's Fieldcrest subdivision, located at 1552 Bridge Road.
The subdivision will have nine homes. J.D. Stricklen, the owner of the lot, said three of the homes are already sold, and interest has generated for the remaining six.
One home will be completed in June, Stricklen said. He expects the next to be completed two to three months later. The market value of the homes would range from $500,000 up, he said.
With final approval, Stricklen said, his company can begin officially marketing the homes.
"We're ready to build more houses and help raise the tax base of our city and our population," he said.
The approval comes after Stricklen modified his original proposal, which had ten homes instead of nine, and was denied by the planning commission. The modified proposal was part of a settlement agreement that dismissed a lawsuit Stricklen filed against the commission and the city.
"We think we would have prevailed in court, but in the spirit of our good relationship with the city of Charleston, and to move forward, we negotiated this compromise," Stricklen said.
Many neighbors opposed the subdivision and spoke out against the plan at previous meetings. No South Hills residents came to Wednesday's meeting.
Commission members also approved Stricklen's petition to name the road leading into the subdivision Fieldcrest Road.
Also Wednesday, commission members agreed to amend Charleston's zoning ordinance to let animal hospitals and clinics be located in professional or medical campus districts on a case-by-case basis. The amendment was proposed after Charleston Regional Spay Neuter Center asked to open a office at The Players Club.
Any animal clinics looking to move to a location in those districts would not be allowed to have noise or odor issues under the ordinance change, City Planning Director Dan Vriendt said.
Lisa Mitchell, president of the spay-neuter center, said that wouldn't be an issue. Animals would come into the clinic, receive operations and be picked up by their owners later that day. No kennels or outdoor runs would be on site, she said.
Reach Ali Schmitz at ali.schmitz@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4843 or follow @SchmitzMedia on Twitter.