October 1, 2009

The Paducah Area Transit Authority will appeal a zoning board decision denying the right of Greyhound to use its bus terminal at Ninth and Harrison Streets.

The denial by the Historic and Architectural Review Commission came after a 90- minute hearing at which Lower Town residents argued it isn’t a permitted use in the historic zone and would increase crime in the neighborhood. The HARC vote was 4-0.

Glenn Denton, attorney for PATS, said an appeal will be filed in McCracken Circuit Court in the next few days. PATS planned to sign a contract with Greyhound that would allow its four buses a day to use the terminal. Greyhound currently operates its own terminal on Fourth Street that Robert Jordan, a Greyhound manager, said is too large.

Jordan said the effort to partner with PATS is to reduce operating costs and centralize transportation services. Denton also said there are benefits to PATS because it will receive income from a lease and will be eligible for grants from the federal government which encourages joint operations.

PATS filed the request for the zoning approval because it owns the property.

Denton said HARC’s decision is wrong because PATS is exempt under state law from zoning regulations and because the location already is used as a bus terminal. PATS buses stop at the terminal 64times a day, PATS General Manager Kim Adair said.

Mike McDowell, HARC chairman, said a bus terminal is not a permitted use in the historic zone, but that PATS was granted an exemption in 2000 because it planned to renovate a rundown warehouse. PATS invested more than $3 million in that renovation, Denton said.

McDowell said that in 2000 there wasn’t much activity in Lower Town and that the improvement was welcomed. However, he said in recent years that has changed with the addition of residents who own homes, rather than rent them.

He also said the law exempting government agencies from zoning restrictions doesn’t apply because the use is for a private, commercial business. “If Greyhound came here with its own application it would be denied,” he said.

Jordan said fears of crime around bus stations are myths and reports of two police calls a week at the existing terminal are false.

Representatives of the river industry were offended by comments about increased crime, saying their employees are heavy users of bus service.

Mark Mayfield of Tennessee Valley Towing said the employees are not criminals and have undergone background checks required for their work.

Mayfield also expressed concern that if Greyhound isn’t allowed to move, they may discontinue service in Paducah.

As published in the Paducah Sun, October 1, 2009