AG aldermen clear path for new gas station

Despite neighbor objections, Ash Grove board passes rezone on Highway 160 to commercial
With sign-touting opponents just feet away, the Ash Grove Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to rezone 6.43 acres on Highway 160 from residential to commercial to allow for a new gas station and storage units to be built.
Opposition to the rezone request made their position known during the meeting, citing many issues they had with the potential change, including visual pollution, noise pollution, traffic and a possible drop in property values, mostly of nearby residences.
“I’ve lived here almost 40 years, longer probably than any of you all,” Steve Moorefield said. “I’ve watched this town slowly die. It’s headed toward Everton. And the last thing we need is another gas station; we can barely support the ones we have now. And that is why we have no business in this town.”
Moorefield added that financially the station would negatively affect their pocket books.
“Anybody that lives nearby is going to take a hit on their property values. I did not work hard on my property just to have somebody else vote in something to take money from me or the other people. Take money right out of our pockets.”
Prior to asking for a vote on the matter, Ash Grove Mayor Caleb Smith added his thoughts.
“There are concerns with the community and I would never step out to say that I’d see our community ever, not to knock Everton, but to not see growth or to see complacency,” Smith said. “We have enough people in our community that pour into our community and have time in and time out. Again, has their business always been successful—no, but then somebody else steps up. It’s just where we’re at in the economy and it is hard. But as a community we also have to provide amenities to the community. … It’s on 160, it’s our only business route through town. … We’ll leave it to the board. We’ll take a roll call vote and we’ll go from there.”
The 4-0 vote passing the rezone followed Smith’s comments shortly thereafter.
Developer Chase Wilmoth, Mt. Vernon, is the developer behind the project. Wilmoth said the house on the property will remain occupied by the owner as long as she wishes to stay. However, once she leaves the house will either be moved to an empty lot in town or torn down.
Wilmoth said there is currently no timeline for the $2-$4 million project but said they “want to be first in class, so we are going to do it right.”