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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSeptember 7, 2011 Planning Commission Minutes AUGUSTA PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 7, 2011 DUE TO LABOR DAY HOLIDAY THE MEETING DATE HAS CHANGED THOSE PRESENT: Bill Wright, Chairman Margaret Armstrong Gene Hunt Tanya Barnhill Lillie Williams Robert Cooks Rick Keuroglian Brent Weir Hank Griffin Jay Simons OTHERS PRESENT: George Patty, Executive Director Lois Schmidt, Secretary Jimmy Lester, Attorney Bob Austin, Zoning Administrator Wayne Brown, City Attorney Paul DeCamp, Planning Director Juriah Lewis, Transit Planner Matt Aitken, Ex-officio member THOSE ABSENT: Jeanne Corley Y N Myers, Jr. , Vice-Chairman Helen Minchew, RCBOE ex-officio member Commissioner Wright: The Augusta Richmond County Planning Commission is a recommending body. The final decision on all matters coming before it will be made by the Augusta, Georgia Commission on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 5:00 p.m., in Room 803 of the Municipal Building. A handout describing the Zoning procedures from which these cases are decided is available upon request. These procedures also require that any opponent to an application for a rezoning action who has made a contribution aggregating $250.00 or more to a local government official within two years of the rezoning application is required to file a disclosure report with the governing authority within five (5) calendar days prior to today's meeting. Chairman Wright presented an addendum to be added to today’s agenda. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Barnhill that the Addendum be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Griffin. MOTION carried unanimously. ADDENDUM 1.FINAL PLAT – STONECREEK – S-811 – A petition by Southern Partners, on behalf of Crowell & Co. Inc., requesting final plat approval for Stonecreek Subdivision. This residential subdivision is located on Dennis Road, east of Parker Street and contains 17 lots. (Reviewing agency approval 9-7-2011) There was no petitioner present. There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated the Staff recommends approval. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Hunt that the Final Plat be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Barnhill. MOTION carried unanimously. 2. FINAL PLAT – WILLHAVEN, PHASE 3, SECTION 1 – S-822-1 – A petition by John Brewer and Associates, on behalf of Brent Holdings, LLC, requesting final plat approval for Willhaven, Phase 3, Section 1. This residential subdivision is located in Willhaven Subdivision and contains 14 lots. (Reviewing agencies gave conditional approval pending all issues being resolved before the 9-20-2011 Augusta Commission meeting or this petition will not move forward) Mr. Bob Rolander, Brent Holdings, LLC, was present on behalf of the petition. There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated the Staff recommends conditional approval subject to the developer meeting all the standards set forth by reviewing agencies. The final plat will not move forward to the Augusta Commission for final approval until all reviewing agencies sign off. Mr. Rolander agreed and presented a letter accepting these terms. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Hunt that the Final Plat be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Barnhill. MOTION carried unanimously. 3. Approve the naming of a new road located within the Augusta Regional Airport “General Perry Smith Parkway”. There was no petitioner present. There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated the Staff recommends approval. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Hunt that the road name be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Cooks. MOTION carried unanimously. 4. RESOLUTION – A request for approval of a resolution on transferring assets and liabilities of the Georgia Municipal Employees Benefit System (GMEBS) Defined Benefits Retirement Plan for certain employees of the Augusta Richmond County Planning Commission currently held in trust by the Board of Trustees of GMEBS from the GMEBS Trust Fund for the Planning Commission to the GMEBS Trust fund for the new Defined Benefit Retirement Plan to be established by Augusta, Georgia in connection with certain employees of the Planning Commission becoming employees of Augusta as of November 1, 2011. Mr. Patty stated that this is part of the City reorganization of the Planning Commission dept. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Cooks that the transfer be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Barnhill. MOTION carried unanimously. AGENDA 1.Z-11-34 – A petition by Ellen Taylor, on behalf of Joe Burgess, requesting a Special Exception to establish a Family Personal Care Home per Section 26-1 (H) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta-Richmond County to affecting property containing .46 acres and is known under the present numbering system as 2342 Dorn Road. (Tax Map 070-3- 035-01) Ms. Ellen Taylor, Hephzibah, Georgia was present on behalf of the petition. Ms. Taylor stated that she wants to open the home as a family personal care home. The home was once used by Walton Rehabilitation Hospital and is equipped to handle the elderly and/or handicapped. Ms. Taylor works with a placement agency to find clients a home environment. There were no concerned citizens present. Commissioner Hunt asked how many clients would be in the home. Ms. Taylor said a maximum of 6. Commissioner Keuroglian asked if she would be living in the home. Ms. Taylor said yes and would also have 24/6 supervision and care with additional staff and that she intended to fence the yard for patient safety. Mr. Patty stated the Staff recommends approval. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Hunt that Z-11-34 be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Barnhill. MOTION carried unanimously. 2.Z-11-35 – A petition by Jud C. Hickey Center for Alzheimer’s Care requesting to modify part of the conditions from a 1993 zoning case (Z-93-57) relating to off-street parking for an adult day care center affecting property containing .20 acres and is known under the present numbering system as 1901 Central Avenue. (Tax Map 045-3-027-00-0) Ms. Brenda Carroll and Ms. Andrea Bussey, Judd C. Hickey Center for Alzheimer’s Care, 1901 Central Ave, Augusta were present on behalf of the petition. They presented a packet as well as a slide show to support their statements. The Center opened in 1996 as a day care facility for Alzheimer’s patients. If the There are 2 full time employees and 7 part time with staggered shifts throughout the daytime hours of the Center. The Center is not open 24 hours or on weekends. Baker and McDowell Streets have public on-street parking which the staff uses, keeping in mind the residents of the street need parking as well. The ingress/egress was designed for the Center to allow for safe and easy on/off loading of patients off the street. The Center is non-profit and serves the CSRA. Approximately 50 persons are helped weekly and no one is turned away due to financial difficulties. If the Center were forced to purchase a new site or even additional land near the Central Ave. site it could limit the care they would be able to provide. There were 24 supporters present. There was one objector. Mr. Carl Purvis, 909 Georgia Ave., Augusta presented a letter stating his concerns as well as a petition with 8 signatures. Mr. Purvis stated that he inherited 1902 McDowell Street from his father who used the home as income property. Mr. Purvis would like to make improvements to the property but hesitates under the circumstances. He has had the house on the market to sell and has had prospective buyers comment on the street parking. Other residents have also complained. When Mr. Purvis brought his concerns to the Planning Commission Staff it was discovered that the conditions of the 1993 zoning case had not been met and that off-street parking had not been provided. While he recognizes the good work the Center does and the service they provide he does not believe the other residents in the area should be penalized by the unnecessary nuisance and safety issues created by the constant on-street parking. Mrs. Lowanda Purvis stated that they took license tag numbers consistently for 2 months along Baker Street and found the same cars parking there and it create a dangerous traffic issue since there is curve in Baker above McDowell Street and with cars parked on both sides of the street the road becomes almost one way as you reach Central Ave. Commissioner Keuroglian asked Mr. Purvis what improvements he wanted to make to his property that he was foregoing due to this issue. Mr. Purvis said it needs paint and roof repair but he hesitates to invest money in the property if he cannot sell it. Commissioner Keuroglian asked how many employees of the Center were present and how many supporters lived in the area of the Center. There was one employee present and no nearby residents. Chairman Wright asked for the Staff recommendation. Mr. Patty asked that the Commission pay close attention to the wording of the 1993 conditions: 1.That a site plan showing proper parking and ingress/egress in the rear yard be approved by the Executive Director before occupancy; and 2.That the use of the day care center be limited to persons with diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease. The opponent’s comments seem to infer that an approved plan was not archived with the original zoning file but the ingress/egress provided is safer and more constructive than just using that space to the rear of the building to provide a few parking spaces that would probably have to back out onto Baker Ave. when leaving the Center. While the Staff has sympathy for the opponent to rule against the Center seems excessive. The Staff recommends approval with the following condition: Modification of condition #1 of Z-93-57 to read that existing parking and ingress/egress configuration of the rear of the property shall be retained. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Hunt that Z-11-35 be APPROVED with the above stated condition; seconded Commissioner Armstrong. MOTION carried unanimously. 3.Z-11-36 - A petition by APD, on behalf of Augusta Georgia Land Bank Authority, requesting a change of zoning from R-1C (One-family Residential) and R-2 (Two-family Residential) to PUD (Planned Unit Development) affecting property listed below: Tract A - This tract contains .28 acres and is known as 930, 932, 936 and 938 Boyd Lane. (Tax Map 059-2-757-00-0, 059-2-758-00-0, 059-2-759-00-0 & 059-2-760-00-0) Tract B - This property contains .03 acres and is known as 945 Boyd Lane. (Tax Map 059-2-710-00-0) Tract C - This property contains .07 acres and is known as 949 Wrightsboro Road. (Tax Map 059-2-569-00-0) Tract D - This property contains .26 acres and is known as 943 and 945 Wrightsboro Road. (Tax Map 059-2-566-00-0 & 059-2-567-00-0) Tract E - This property contains .28 acres and is known as 921 and 923 Wrightsboro Road. (Tax Map 059-2-561-00-0 & 059-2-562-00-0) Mr. Warren Campbell, APD Urban Planning, was present on behalf of the petition. Mr. Campbell stated that earlier this year they had presented a property configuration to create a PUD but it was short of the required minimum 5 acres. These additional properties will satisfy that requirement and allow the redevelopment of this area to continue. There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated that Staff recommended approval. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Cooks that Z-11-36 be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Barnhill. MOTION carried unanimously. 4.Z-11-37 – A petition by George Inman, on behalf of the William White Barrett Estate, requesting a change of zoning from Zone A (Agriculture) to Zone HI (Heavy Industry) affecting property containing approximately 135 acres and is known as 1641 Dixon Airline Road. (Tax Map 135-0-005-00-0) Mr. George Inman, 3041 Bransford Rd., Augusta was present on behalf of the petition. Mr. Inman requested that this petition be postponed until the October meeting. There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated that Staff recommended the postponement. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Griffin that Z-11-37 be POSTPONED until the October 3, 2011 meeting; seconded by Commissioner Cooks. MOTION carried unanimously. 5.Z-11-38 – A petition by Walter Sprouse, on behalf of the Development Authority of Richmond County; requesting a change of zoning from Zone A (Agriculture) and Zone HI (Heavy Industry) to Zone HI affecting property containing approximately 286 acres and is known as 1126 Horseshoe Road. (Tax map 323-0-039-03-0) Mr. Walter Sprouse, Development Authority of Richmond County, 1450 Greene St., Augusta was present on behalf of the petition. The Dev. Authority has owned this land for a number of years and only recently realized that a portion of it was not zoned HI. They are just requesting this rezoning to clear up that oversight. Mr. Harold Rhodes, 4756 Mike Padgett Highway was present as a concerned citizen. He owns 100 acres in this area and has a well and ponds on his land and worries that industrial development could contaminate the water supply. Commissioner Hunt asked if there is a prospective industry involved in this petition or just future speculation as he understands Mr. Rhodes concerns. Mr. Sprouse said there were no prospects at this time. He further stated that the Dev. Authority and Mr. Rhodes have had a friendly relationship for years and would talk to him about any future projects. Mr. Patty stated the Staff recommends approval with the following condition: That a 400 foot natural buffer be maintained along the property line adjacent to those properties located in Lewis Acres Subdivision. Mr. Sprouse agreed and stated it would be explained to all prospective buyers. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Cooks that Z-11-38 be APPROVED with the above stated condition; seconded by Commissioner Barnhill. MOTION carried unanimously. 6.Z-11-39 – A petition by G. W. G. Gold Buyers, on behalf of Bernard Dunstan et al, requesting a change of zoning from Zone P-1 (Professional) to Zone B-1 (Neighborhood Business) affecting property containing .39 acres and is known as 3644 Walton Way Extension. (Tax Map 023-0- 006-00-0) Mr. ShaunWeinstock, 267 West Wieuca Road, Atlanta, Georgia was present on behalf of the petition. Mr. Weinstock stated that they leased this space and obtained a business license not aware that the zoning was not compatible with the use. The owner agreed to request the rezoning. There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated the request was in keeping with the area zoning pattern and the Staff recommended approval. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Hunt that Z-11-39 be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Cooks. MOTION carried unanimously. 7. PARKING VARIANCE - Dennis Trotter, on behalf of Ramon Brown, requesting a variance from Section 4-2 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Augusta, Georgia to reduce the number of required parking spaces for a proposed Dollar General from 38 to 36 spaces for property located at 1102 Laney Walker Boulevard. (Tax Map 046-4-757-00-0) Dennis Trotter, 3519 Wheeler Rd., Augusta was present on behalf of the petition. Mr. Trotter stated that he represents a Dollar General that wants to build a new store on this property. Dollar General’s information says that 30 spaces are adequate for their use and this request is only a 2 space downsizing. This will be a 1.5 million dollar investment in Laney Walker and the petitioner is working with the redevelopment group that is currently active in that area and has their support. There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated that the data provided supports this request and that in this area of the city some of the store traffic will be from pedestrians. The petition is designing a final product that will benefit the area and is agreeable to the Pine Street revitalization group and will maintain existing buffer areas and add a rear buffer as well. The Staff recommends approval. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Hunt that the Variance be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Cooks. Augusta Commissioner Matt Aitken asked if the petitioner had a façade rendering. Mr. Trotter said no but it would be brick with stucco accents with no exposed metal to complement what is being done in the Pine Street area. Mr. Hawthorne Welcher, stated that they have been working with the developer to agree on a plan and also met with area residents and all are agree with the proposed project. Mr. Trotter also explained the sign will not be a standard free standing pylon sign but a monument sign in keeping with the Laney Walker Boulevard streetscape. th Commissioner Armstrong expressed her concern that residents on 11 Street would be included in the redevelopment plans but nothing has been done and no residents have been contacted she th wondered when the redevelopment would reach 11 Street. th Mr. Welcher stated the current plan is to build 4 additional new single family homes on 11 Street in 2 phases and they are currently trying to secure funding. Commissioner Armstrong also worried that if the redevelopment does not proceed or succeed there will not be the area residents to support the retail business and it will end up empty space. She worries about spotty redevelopment with no consistency. Mr. Welcher stated that this is a large project encompassing over 1,000 acres. You need stabilization in the area before you can move forward so currently they are concentrating on acquiring the properties to stabilize the area and then will obtain funding. They are currently soliciting developers and contractors and will proceed as fund allow. Chairman Wright called the question. The MOTION passed unanimously. 8. SUBDIVISION VARIANCE – A petition by Costco Wholesale Corporation requesting a variance from Section 405 (I) of the Land Subdivision Regulations for Augusta Richmond County to create a land locked parcel on property located at 825 Alexander Drive. (Tax Map 008-0-010- 08-0) Mr. Jeff Rutger, Costco Corp. and Mr. Mark Van De Water, AEC, Inc, Roswell, Georgia were present on behalf of the petition. Mr. Rutger stated that Costco wishes to provide a parcel of land for an independently operated liquor store attached to the Costco Warehouse Store. This parcel will be a landlocked parcel. There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated the Staff recommended approval. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Cooks that the Variance be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Barnhill. MOTION carried unanimously. Item 9 was moved to the end of the Agenda. 10. Minutes from August 1, 2011 There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated the Staff recommended approval. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Griffin that the Minutes from Augusta 1, 2011 be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Cooks. MOTION carried unanimously 11. Bills for August 2011 There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated the Staff recommended approval of the August bills in the amount of $66,160.04. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Cooks that the payment of the August bills in the amount of $66,160.04be APPROVED; seconded by Commissioner Barnhill. MOTION carried unanimously 12. List of Development Plans for August 2011 There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated the Staff recommended approval. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Barnhill that the list of Development Plans be entered as information; seconded by Commissioner Cooks. MOTION carried unanimously 13. List of Site Plans for August 2011 There were no concerned citizens present. Mr. Patty stated the Staff recommended approval. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Barnhill that the list Site Plans be entered as information; seconded by Commissioner Cooks. MOTION carried unanimously A MOTION was made by Commissioner Cooks that the regular meeting be adjourned; seconded by Commissioner Barnhill. MOTION carried unanimously. Chairman Wright opened the Public Hearing for discussions and questions on the following item: 9. A request by the Members of the Augusta Fire Dept. for a Public Hearing to discuss the placement of a 30” tall bronze casting of fire gear on a 24” wide x 16” wide x 36” tall black granite on a 36” x 36” deep greystone blue base to honor all past, present and future members of the Augusta Fire Dept. If approved monument will be placed at Hero’s Overlook on the River Walk There was no public comment and no citizens present. A MOTION was made by Commissioner Cooks to adjourn the Public Hearing; seconded by Commissioner Barnhill. MEETING ADJOURNED