By John Howell Sr.

Batesville city officials during their Tuesday, January 2 meeting, learned about plans for commercial development in two locations.

The Sav-A-Lot store on Highway 6 at Bates Street plans an expansion that will incorporate the building presently vacant next door. On Dell Street, John Brasher plans to sell the vacant lot that was formerly the site of Galmore’s Body Shop.

Sav-A-Lot manager Steve Wingert told the Panolian that store owners plan to eliminate existing walls and join the two buildings. “The front of the building will be completely redone; it will look like one building,” Wingert said. The store plans to use the additional space for new freezers and larger aisles. The parking lot will be paved after construction is complete, Wingert added. The store will remain open during the expansion.

Plans for the expansion were approved by the Batesville Planning Commission at its December meeting and their minutes were presented to the mayor and aldermen Tuesday.

Brasher appeared at a public hearing held during Tuesday’s meeting. He had requested the Dell Street lot to be rezoned from C-2 to C-3 to expand the property’s possible uses. Brasher said that he plans to sell the lot.

There were no comments other than Brasher’s during the hearing, and his request was unanimously approved.

“I go by there every day; I’m glad to see something happening,” Alderman Eddie Nabors said.

There were also no comments during a public hearing on an amendment to the city’s site and building design standards.

Code Administrator Pam Comer said that the amendment would clarify site and building design review requirements for additions to existing buildings.