A planned retail development that was once rejected by Kingfi sher’s planning and zoning board received approval from that entity last week.

Board members voted 4-1 last Thursday to approve a request to rezone the lots at 1000 S. Main St. to C-4 commercial.

Voting for the measure were Austin Evans, Eddie Payne, Reggie Redwine and Judy Whipple.

Jean Crosswhite cast the dissenting vote.

The request was made by Mike Matthews Properties LLC.

Matthews and his business partner Blake Pyle purchased the property, which included the historic home owned by, among others, the Pappe, Springer and Reherman families.

In a state of disrepair, the home was demolished earlier this month.

The P&Z board unanimously denied Matthews’ request to rezone the lots from residential to general commercial at a May 22 meeting, indicating they felt the zone request was “too broad.”

At that meeting, Evans said “I’m in favor of the motion (to deny), but with the understanding that I personally wouldn’t be opposed to you coming back with some additional materials and seeking a more restrictive commercial zone.”

Matthews and Pyle came back this month with a more specific request for C-4, which is a planned shopping center district.

The move to approve came despite a recommendation from Community Development Director Linda Garcia to deny the request on the advice of the city’s legal counsel due to it opening up “spot zoning,” which is the reclassification of a small area of land with a different zoning regulation than the surrounding area.

Jared Harrison is the city attorney.

The proposed building will be 7,500 square feet and will sit on the west side of Main Street, just south of West Locust Avenue, according to documents provided to the city.

There will be an entrance/ exit on Main Street. There will also be one-way exits that feed into the alley on the west side of the building. They will be at both the north and south ends of the building.

The approval by the P&Z board isn’t the final hurdle to move the retail center forward.

It must now be approved by the Kingfisher City Commission, which next meets Monday, Aug. 11.