SIDNEY —A parcel of land south-east of Wilson Health was OK’d by the Sidney Planning Commission Monday evening to be rezoned from an R-1, single family residential district to an I-2, general industrial district.

The land requested to be rezoned is at the south-east of the Fourth Avenue and Court Street intersection. According to Community Development Director Barbara Dulworth, Wilson Health plans to construct a 45-foot-tall, monument-style, combination gateway sign and digital billboard at the location. The property is currently undeveloped, and was until recently, believed to be the state of Ohio’s right-of-way for state Route 47. It is adjacent to the limited access right-of-way on Court Street and Fourth Avenue and the railroad right-of-way to the south. This means the permanent drive access is not permitted. It is one of the few uses available given the limited access to the land, she said.

During the public hearing for the rezoning, Dulworth said there were three or four neighboring property owners who spoke up in opposition to the request. Fear of more crashes at the intersection, back-lighting from the digital billboard into the neighborhood, and noise intrusion, if the tree buffer at the location is removed or decreased, are some of the reasons property owners objected to the rezoning.

The recommendation being sent to Sidney City Council to approve the rezoning was approved by a 3 to 2 vote. Commission members Merrill Asher and Patricia Miller voted no.

Dulworth said Asher expressed concerns of potential dangers at the intersection with the distraction of the added sign.

In other business, at the top of the meeting, new Commission member Heather Dunn was welcomed and sat on the board for her first meeting Monday.