M&D Construction is leaving its 611 8th Ave. N. location in the city for a space in the county.

The site on 8th Avenue North, where it meets Park Drive and 6th Street North, at the east end of Gibson Park, is now for sale.

The move comes after City Commissioners broke with the staff recommendation and denied a conditional use permit during a Jan. 2 meeting.

Planning board questions commissioner on why M&D permit was denied

Rhett Hulett, owner of M&D, told The Electric on Tuesday that he’s acquired one property on the east end of town, off 18th Avenue Northeast, near the railroad and Giant Springs State Park. He’s also got a property on the western end of town, outside the city limits, and now he’s deciding which to make his primary location.

Hulett said the company had outgrown the property and was planning to move anyway, but had wanted to go at their own pace and the commission decision accelerated that move.

M&D Construction still mulling options after commission denied permit

The parcel on the east side is currently zoned I-1 light industrial, which works for now, Hulett said, but he’ll likely look at requesting that the county rezone it to I-2 heavy industrial.

The company had been at that location since 2011 and another construction company was on the property previously but an area resident have complained to the city about M&D’s operations.

The property is zoned M-2 mixed use transitional and the company had expanded operations at that site without obtaining a conditional use permit to operate a contractor yard, type two.

Staff determined that the only way to address the complaint and keep the business on the property was a conditional use permit. In city code, a contractor yard, type two is allowed in the M-2 zoning district with a permit.

Commissioners denied the permit and Hulett said he’d had a lot of interest in the property but parties were checking what they could do in that area.

“There’s a lot you can do there except have a large construction company,” Hulett said.