City of Aiken, SC Planning Commission Meetings, 15 Mar 2022

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From YouTube: Planning Commission Meeting March 15, 2022

Description

Planning Commission Meeting
March 15, 2022
6 PM

Call to Order
Minutes

Old Business:
none

New Business:
A) Application 22- 20017 Annexation Request, TMP 123- 10- 06- 002 ( p. o.), Whiskey Road, by Jerry Waters.
B) Application 22- 22002 Concept Plan Approval Request, TMP 123- 10- 06- 002 ( p. o.), Whiskey Road, by Jerry Waters.
C) Application 22- 60004 Rezoning Request, General Business ( GB) to Planned Commercial (PC), TMP 122- 17-07-001, 2265 Whiskey Road, by John Keen.
Postponed to April Meeting at Applicant' s Request
D) Application 22- 23002 Concept Plan Approval Request, TMP 122- 17- 07- 001, 2265 Whiskey Road, by John Keen.
Postponed to April Meeting at Applicant' s Request
E) Application 22- 60005 Rezoning Request, Light Industrial ( LI) to Residential SingleFamily Attached ( RSA), TMP 121- 11- 19- 001, 002 & 008, Park Avenue, by Lance Cheely.
F) Application 22- 22003 Concept Plan Approval Request, Light Industrial ( LI) to Residential Single- Family Attached ( RSA), TMP# 121- 11- 19- 001, 002 & 008, Park Avenue, by Lance Cheely.
G) Application 22- 22004 Concept Plan Approval Request, TMP 107- 07- 16- 001, Polaris Drive, by Ketan Patel.
Postponed to April Meeting at Applicant' s Request

Adjournment

A

Good evening we will bring our city vacant planning commission meeting for tuesday march 15th 2022 to order before we get started, I'm going to go over the guidelines for the city, planning, commission, meeting meetings or public forums in which many opinions are expressed in the business of the city must be conducted as such. Disciplined honorable and professional decorum is paramount. Courteous and respectful communication is required during public hearings. All questions and statements from the public shall be directed to the chair.

A

If you wish to speak, raise your hand- and I will recognize you- please approach the podium state, your name and your address in order to allow an opportunity for everyone who wishes to address planet. Commission speakers should limit their comments to the subject being discussed. Each speaker will be given three minutes to address an issue and may only address an issue once unless questions from the planet commission are posed to the speaker.

A

So if you have something to speak on tonight, we'll be keeping track of your three-minute timing up here and we'll. Let you know when that time is up.

A

Okay, um we'll move into the approval of the minutes. From the last meeting, we'll have a motion.

B

Motion to approve the mids, as is.

A

Questions to approve the minutes, the second in discussion hello's in favor, raise your hand like sign, opposed ocean passes, so you know old business. We will before I get into the new business. I did want to make uh some clarifications on some of the applications: application c number 22-60, which is a rezoning request for general business to plan commercial on whiskey, road and item d, which is a concept plan approval for the same property. This meeting has been postponed to the april meeting. That's item c and d on whiskey road.

A

That item will will be talked about in the april meeting. We will not be discussing that tonight. So, if you're here to speak in favor against, you are free to go um item g, which is the last application for tonight concept plan approval request on polaris drive, which is near the woodside development.

A

That item has been postponed until april. So if you have, if you're here to speak for behalf that you do not have to stay here, we will not be voting on that tonight.

A

Okay, we will jump into application a and b. This is application number 22-20017, an annexation request on whiskey road by verification. The applicant is south view estate.

A

So this is this is an annexation request, request and then application number 22-22002 plan approval request for the same property on whiskey road by south view estate.

A

Do we have anybody here to speak on behalf of this application.

C

Good evening my name is max selby with lowcountry housing communities. I'm part of the development team, I'm just giving you some a few details on our development will consist of one.

D

C

With 60 apartment homes, a mix of one and two bedroom units for seniors age, 55 and older, no children will reside at our property units, will range in size from 800 to 1020 square feet. The exterior wall faces of the building will have a combination of brick, fibers, cement, lap, siding and fiber cement shake siding.

C

The roof will be constructed with shingles installed to satisfy a minimum 30-year manufacturer warranty inside the building, we'll have a common area with a kitchen.

C

This is this is in our common space, seating for community gatherings, a fitness room, a business center, a laundry center, a property management office and an elevator we'll have a full-time property manager and maintenance person at the property.

C

Right now, our open space is roughly 87 percent. The building will be encircled with sidewalks for access and recreation.

C

The site plan currently has 62 parking spots for 60 units.

C

The main access to development will come from a stub out of the driveway that will be built by the our neighboring development to the north, and is our intent to continue this stuff out to allow for continued connectivity to the remaining parcels.

C

Our site plan is configured in a way that preserves the maximum amount of existing land. This will ensure a dense buffer remains between the proposed development and the existing single-family neighborhood to the west. For many years to the future, be happy to answer any questions you may have.

A

Any questions from.

A

Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else to speak on behalf of this application.

A

There's anybody here wants to speak against this application.

A

Okay, can I get a motion.

E

Mr chairman, in regards to application.

E

22-20017 annexation request for taxmar tax max parcel number 123-1006002.

E

In application, 22-22002 concept plan approval requests um for the same tax, partial number. um I move that we recommend this to city council, as submitted with the conditions listed. Second.

A

Second, so we have a motion for approval for both applications in a second discussion.

A

Seeing none I'll take a vote. All those in favor raise your hand like sign a post. Okay, the motion passes unanimously.

A

Item c and d is postponed, as we mentioned, brings us to items e and f application number 22-6005, a rezoning request from light industrial to residential single family attached or park avenue, and application number 22-22003 concept plan approval, request for the same property I'll. Have anybody here to speak on behalf of this application.

F

Lance chile, uh representing will dalzell the property owner and pro address, is 1104. Campbellton drive north augusta south carolina um we're today presenting a 16 unit for sale attached, family dwellings.

F

The property is currently zoned light industrial and rml light industrial. Our intent with this project is to deliver more housing. This that's needed in this area to participate in the revitalization of some parts of town, as evidenced desired by city council in some other parts of town, and we want to take our part in in doing that. What we're showing is a rear alley service type of unit with two parking spaces in the rear.

F

These will be attached. We are asking for a few.

F

Waivers and to allow a slightly more dense development than we would be able to if we had the currently required separations between units and the current, the code required setbacks. The setback that we're asking for a waiver on is the north setback here up against park avenue.

F

We did take into account the existing buffers between the homes and sorry, the existing setbacks between some of the existing single family homes around those vary from slowest of seven feet to an average of about 10 feet and we're matching those where we can. But we are asking for some waiver on that. Additionally, between the units, we should have 15 feet per the code, we're asking for 10 feet. We believe we can accomplish this with within the fire code, with some additional fire rating to our wall to our walls.

F

It's our intent to to deliver a good housing product here and help to contribute more housing to this area of aegon. We do have. We are meeting the current open space requirements, 26 thousand or 26 percent of the site. That's dedicated to open space that does exclude 7 500 square feet of area that we're using for storm water facility to retain our water on site.

F

We, you know, we, we just want to present this concept plan for your approval, and uh thank you for your time. Thank you.

A

Any questions from the commission, okay, is there. um Thank you. I appreciate it. uh Is there anybody uh here tonight to speak else to speak on behalf of this application.

G

Thank you for your time tonight. My name is: will dalzell 925 currytown boulevard, north augusta's address um yeah? We just want the opportunity to serve the community and give them some more housing and revitalize that area. We've taken into consideration a lot of the historical attributes and met with the drb, and uh you know, I've chosen, finishes and materials.

G

We've got some nice brick fronts and are using hardy plank siding and architectural shingles and using historic, colors uh per the drb requirements, and uh you know we've had some interest in uh some horse community people that want want to have some places that they can come and when they're here for horse events and live in these smaller homes and there would be an hoa controlled neighborhood, so it'd be kept up well.

G

What's there now has been there for a long time, it's an old, broken down concrete plant and grown up with trees and trash, and we just really want to make it a better space for the community around and the people and the environment.

G

Thank you very much.

A

Anybody else here tonight to speak on behalf of this application.

A

Okay, do we have anybody here to speak against this application? Yes, ma'am.

H

Hi um it's my name is barbara stafford. I live at 1310, colleton avenue. um This request to change. Zoning in our neighborhood would be a drastic mistake. Changing the current zoning of light industrial to residential single-family attached would allow for dense housing. That would be out of character for the neighborhood and would not fit in.

H

It would not give any added value to the neighborhood. A change to residential multi-family low density uh would be preferable and in their concept plan it's noted that rml is consistent with residential use. We as a neighborhood, our neighborhood watch and with the support of public safety, carl odenthal city property code inspector and our city. Councilman ed woltz have changed this neighborhood into a healthy one, stuart biedenbaugh city manager, rick, osbon, mayer and cynthia mitchell. Adps community services coordinator have been attendance at some of our watch meetings.

H

At the end of 2018, there were 209 incidents involving public safety at the end of 2021. There were 78.. This is 63 percent decrease. We rarely hear gunshots anymore. This took a lot of work. Our neighborhood watch made a huge difference. We are in our fifth year and have met consistently every month since february of 2018..

H

We know our neighborhood. Our neighborhood has really improved because it is made up of single-family detached homes with yards. It attracts more families and buyers willing to improve distressed property. Clean up renovate and move in the concept plan here is flawed.

H

The property was not taken into account in the city comprehensive plan, as stated on the first page of the concept plan. The plan calls for 16 units. Each unit has a kitchen sink and or a dishwasher laundry area for a washing machine machine. Two tubs or two showers wash two wash basins and two toilets so that equals 16 kitchen sinks or dishwashers, 16, washing machines, 32 tubs or showers, 32, wash basins and 32 toilets.

H

All of the water used in these fixtures will be emptied into what we all know is a stressed and antiquated sewer system open space. The concept plan references 26 of land for open space. However, it is not known if the 11 percent that is used for storm water management will be included in this percentage and, if it were, that brings the open space to 15.

H

I believe that 20 is required and also why would there be a need for storm water management? What is the percentage of this project covered with impervious material of the open space? Is there anything set aside for leisure time for owners? What about dogs that the owners may have no gates or fences.

A

Ma'am, I don't mean to be rude, but but the three-minute time limit is up. Thank.

H

A

Thank you very much for coming and talking I appreciate it.

A

Do you have anybody else to speak against this application? Yes, ma'am remind everybody, there's a three minute time limit. um I don't like to cut people off. If I don't have to. I.

I

Don't have three minutes worth of talk.

A

I

Is 240 sumter street southeast? This is my neighborhood too, and I will say that um rsa is an inappropriate zoning for a neighborhood which, in that area in particular, is largely zone. Rml rml zoning would be great. We don't object to residential development. There. We don't object to change. We would like to see a good project there. The project that, as as as is proposed, is not a good project, will not fit in the neighborhood, will not enhance the neighborhood. Thank you so much thank.

A

You anybody else in the back. Yes, ma'am.

J

My name is pippa moon. I live at 1129, carlton avenue. We had been refurbishing a house on collaton for quite some time we used to live on marion street. We specifically moved off of marion and sold a home. We loved there and moved on to that end of carlton, so our portion of carlton is basically a stone's throw from this project and one of the reasons we moved there was that there would be less road traffic, more more walking up dogs, more foot traffic, but not necessarily as busy as street.

J

This will bring in a lot more traffic, not really prepared for all the cars parked on the streets. It doesn't seem super well prepared for the number of people living in the buildings and the vehicles that are going to go with. It is our main concern, so just wanted to bring that up. Thank you.

A

Very much we appreciate it.

A

Anybody else. Yes, sir.

K

E

K

Hill and I live on boundary avenue this area, if you have not been out there yourself personally, it is incredibly loud with railroad traffic on tuesdays and thursdays. I mean it's very loud you're going to have 16 very unhappy family people living in those places unless you've personally been out there. I don't know how you could vote on this unless you actually were out there on a tuesday and thursday and heard the noise that's generated right in that area, and um that's that's going to be a problem for us from now on.

K

That's probably why it's so lightly developed right now and why it was originally light. Industrial, probably why it should remain either that or very lightly housed, but putting high density homes. There is going to be an issue in the future. Thank you. Thank you.

A

Anybody else wish to speak against this. Yes, sir, in the back.

L

All right, I can do it hi, I'm meryl kamai, I'm at 1423 park avenue a little closer to stewart's row, but I also own 1435 and the two houses that I have equate to that land mass right there for two houses right and we're about to put something up: that's monstrous that uh doesn't even have open space. The open space is over here in the corner.

L

So when I'm looking at the open space and I'm from irvine, which is the master plan community, everybody that's the one they watch see he's not in his head.

J

L

I live there now as well. So I'm moving here, you look at open space. You see a building, you see some trees, you see open space, you see a building. You see some trees, you see open space. What you see here is a big massive wall.

L

That's not open space, but if you're looking for young professionals, my son here is 22. looking to leave. You know why there's no young professionals in town there's no work for them right. There's some young people that are living here, but they're all looking to go to north augusta. Where these two gentlemen live. They don't live here. I'm building here. I also own uh 238 york avenue, which was about to be torn down. Some of you know that story.

L

I'm cleaning that up I'm trying to bring value to the community if they want to build this. This is not the location there. I'll help them find. I pretty much know downtown. Like the back of my hand, if they want to build this, there are better locations for this. What this is going to turn in if you live, this street they're all going to run down park, and you know what we do even I do.

L

We avoid the traffic lights, so they're all going to run down park street and you got 32 potential cars coming down that street. It's going to get real, dangerous right and most of them skip those stop signs. So if you live down there, it's challenging right and so what they say they want to do. This is not the place, but there are some places closer. I do know my friend will is going to build across the street in and that's not going to fit with what he's trying to accomplish right.

L

So, if you're looking at something you're looking at this, the three things that they put out there is this: isn't it okay? Thank you. Thank you.

A

Know anybody else here tonight speak against this application. Yes, sir.

M

C

H

M

Taylor, I live at 241, berkeley street direct neighbor of uh what they're planning here so everybody's covered. All the main concerns traffic is a huge concern. We've got 32 cars if you look at all the tracks around land roundabout area, there's eight to 12 houses on each track. This is going to like trickle it up to like 24 in this one area, so you're going to have major traffic. If these people have visitors, where are they going to park, are they going to park on the boulevard street? Can't do that.

M

So that's it's going to be a major congestion area. The sewer system is a massive concern for everybody that lives in that area. I've just had to pay seven hundred dollars to have my line cleaned out to the road, because things are backing up from that old sewer system. So that's it like. I say everybody has covered just about everything that major concerns are.

A

Thank you very much.

A

N

My name is mickey fincher, I live on 304 berkeley street and it would be at the corner of colleton, and my one of my concerns is that wasn't touched on very much the traffic yes on park avenue, and that is a two-way road that you can go either direction on I'm on berkeley street and I would be a stone's throw from the road that you want to put in.

N

That would come out on berkeley street and there's only one way for that traffic to go and that's towards my house whether they turn at the stop light or the stop sign right there on the corner and go to the right. Then that might not come around me, but I'm still right there on the corner. All of that traffic on that road. That is not a road right now. It's a former driveway um would all funnel towards my house, my mother and I lived there.

N

We've we've invested our heart and soul into increasing the value of our property, and uh I don't feel like this is going to help that I feel like these. Small homes are going to bring people to the area that are going to learn that maybe they don't like the railroad tracks, or maybe they don't like having such a small home or no parking or retention pond in their backyard, but I feel like the resale value, is going to decrease rapidly and I think it's going to bring the value down of the properties in the area.

N

Thank you very much. Thank you.

A

Anybody else speak against this. Yes, ma'am.

O

Mary taylor and I'm at 241 berkeley as well, which my property would be adjacent to the four plex. That's on berkeley avenue. I too have parking concerns.

O

I would want to know who's responsible for the retention pond, because I would be concerned about mosquitoes is the road that is there. Are they projecting that it's going to be paved or is it going to be a dust pool?

O

I do wonder where if they have visitors, where would those people park, because there's no allotted parking for visitors and right now, everyone parks where they're visiting this poor woman who's on the other side of the four plex would be surrounded by roads and cars, so she might as well be living in a parking lot and her backyard would be a retention pond.

O

So that's kind of not very nice for either of them and then again, like my husband, said in the general vicinity of the area, most of the tracked blocks are roughly a dozen residences.

O

This would increase our residency on our block three times, because there's only currently eight residences, there there's still land at the other end that could be developed. So potentially more and the general vicinity of the area is old, winter, big colony homes and then cottages and in reference to the man who made the comment about the horses places where, of course, people might like to stay, which just suggests to me that it's rentals or seasonal, and then they don't live there and then my other question would be is even though he says they're for sale.

O

Is there anything that would prevent this from becoming rental housing in the future? Thank you.

A

A

Anybody else to speak against this application.

D

Is that more of a question I'm jerry lang, 370 in berkeley, I was trying last night to find out the definition of low residential low density. What exactly is that? Is it 16 units on an acre? Is it you know? Is it something you can answer? Is that something that.

P

Let me, let me clarify: are you asking for.

D

The definition of what is in this lot, what.

P

Is residential.

D

Load density so.

P

The current zoning, the residential multi-family low density.

D

P

Multi, okay, so it does allow dwelling units for three uh for every 3 500 square feet, so it could potentially allow a high density or somewhat high density on that particular parcel. However, there is also light industrial so that that skews it to. As far as the you know, the district size.

D

50 50 is split right now. The light.

P

Industry, it is so but, like I said, for the rml, however, it does also require a 40 open space which is different from the the current zoning there or the zoning they are asking for which.

F

P

The residential single family attached district that they are asking for, is actually 20 compared to the 40 percent. That would be required for residential multifamily low density, which it currently is.

D

So you make that change as well.

J

D

I think everything else I wanted to ask has been asked already, but thank you for your time. Thank you.

A

Okay, do you have anybody, yes, ma'am.

Q

Nancy lang, 317 berkeley, I just had a question: um I've been up and down the streets and I have not seen any other developments like this one. You know as far as density apartments yada in this overlay area. Are there any.

P

That I'm aware of no.

Q

Okay, so if you approve this one that would set precedence so that anybody else that wants to come along and change a big lot or tear down some ready homes or whatever you have nothing to stand on, then, if you don't want it to happen, and there are, there are a lot of areas that that could happen.

Q

So I hope you keep that in mind. If you open the floodgates here, it will not be pretty.

A

Thank you. We appreciate it.

A

Okay, if you have anybody else, oh against it might have anything different that hadn't been spoken on. Okay, see you none! Do we have a motion for this application.

B

Chair regards to application number.

B

22-6005 and application number 22-22.

B

B

121-11-19-0012 and 8, I make a motion that we do not approve to recommend this to city council.

E

A

Second, second, so we have a motion um to oppose this request: rezone request and concept plan for the applications listed in a second. Do we have any discussion.

R

Mr chairman yeah, I would agree with the with the motion. I feel this property and the proposed development is too much mass for the property too many units, two smaller setbacks, uh two small open space, uh the driveway widths, are smaller than than required.

R

um The the uh the lack of visitor parking uh they're, also proposing gravel, sidewalks and and parking pads. That's that's not acceptable, uh there's just too much going on on this property and as the residents have pointed out, it is a growing single family neighborhood, the single-family homes are being you know, restored and and embellished, and uh that's probably a better use for the property than a height, very high density, uh townhouses and mr.

S

um The property right now is ablate. There's no doubt um again. This is not the right project for that property. I would really prefer to see single-family nice cottages that would fit the area and continue to grow like it is now. So that was my reason.

B

And I would also add the setting of precedence for other areas.

S

uh That's a that's a.

B

Big concern too.

S

Yeah and I would like to see something done with the property- maybe just not at this- you know- maybe single family.

B

Mr chair, I would like to uh commend the two gentlemen who brought this forward for wanting to bring housing to this area. Like my fellow commissioners said, I think housing here is a good idea and I commend them for it, but I just don't think this particular type of housing is right.

A

Anything else, and I commend the the neighborhood watch association for taking pride in your neighborhood. I think it could be an example for a lot of neighborhoods around here that need that kind of vigilance due diligence, and so I commend you. um We have a motion. We have a second more discussion for the opposition. To this, raise your right hand like sign, opposed okay. The motion fails unanimously.

A

Well, item g has been postponed to the april meeting. That concludes our new business on the motion for adjournment.