City of Columbus, GA PAC Meeting, 17 May 2023

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From YouTube: Columbus GA Planning Advisory Comm. Meeting 05 17 2023

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Columbus GA Planning Advisory Comm. Meeting 05 17 2023

A

Good morning, I'd like to bring the May 17 2023 planning advisory commission meeting to order, please rise for the pledge.

A

I'd like to remind everyone in the audience to please silence or turn off their cell phones and also want to remind those in the audience and those watching on television that this is the first hearing of the rezoning request. That's being brought before us today. We'll first hear a reading of the staff report by planning staff and ask the applicant to provide a brief overview of the request.

A

We'll then give an opportunity for anyone in the audience to speak, for or against that request or to ask questions about it, and then the Commissioners will have any discussion they need. Once a motion is made and seconded by a commissioner, a vote will take place and the commission will make a recommendation.

A

That case will go back to the planning department for its independent recommendation and if planning gives a favorable recommendation. The case is forwarded to the city council with the two independent recommendations.

A

If the planning department recommends denial, the applicant will have 10 days from the receipt of a letter stating the denial to notify the clerk of the council that they're requesting to be placed on the city council's agenda. And when this comes to the city council, the council will hold at one of its public meetings a first reading of the case. The council will consider the case review the pack and the planning department, recommendations and hear discussion on the matter and Council will make its final decision at a second public meeting.

A

The second meeting of the case. Our first agenda item today, is to approve the minutes of the May 3rd meeting. Does anyone have any comments or Corrections?

A

Okay, do I hear a motion to samud seconded okay, all in favor all right, it's 5-0 minutes are approved, and that brings us to our only case for today, which is case r-e-z-n04230714.

A

Will staff please read the staff report.

B

This is a request to rezone 0.60 acres of land located at 6700 Green Island Drive. The current zoning is single family residential. The proposed zoning is single-family residential. Two, the proposed use is to be used as a single family, Residential Properties, two of them.

B

The current lot is about 2 700 square feet, and the applicant would like to split that into two Parcels one that would be 13 500 square feet and one that would be 12 750 square feet both of those are under the minimum lot size for the zoning of the area sfr1, and that is why they are requesting to go to sfr2. The current land use designation is single family residential. The future land use designation is mixed use, so that is inconsistent.

B

The average annual daily trips would increase from 16 to 25 for the residential use. The surrounding zoning in the north, east and west is single family, residential, one and residential Estates one to the South. The property is in the River Road overlay District, but that does not apply to this property because it is a single-family residential property.

B

There were 13 Property, Owners notified and we did receive three calls now: one inquiry and two opposition: one opposition was concerned with the property values and one was concerned with. If this is allowed, what would be allowed in the future? How small would those lots be and I believe? One of those callers is here today and that is the staff report.

A

Okay, say: um do Commissioners, have any questions for sap.

C

um What is the minimum lot size for sfr1 15.

B

000 square feet and then 10 000 for sfr2, which is what they are requesting.

A

And another question: you said that the sfr2 is would be inconsistent with the future land use, which is mixed use. Now. It's also the case that the current zoning is inconsistent with.

B

The future that is correct, okay,.

A

A

Okay, if there are no further questions, would the applicant please come forward state your name and address for the record and give us an overview of your request.

D

Good morning my name is James: McVay represent lyrion Brown builders. Incorporator I want to thank you all for meeting this morning for this one case.

D

um So we we are the owners of the property at uh 6700 Green, Island Drive. When we purchase a property approximately two three years ago we were building a home for a customer. Beside this slot. They had purchased a home out of torn down. This property came up for sale. We thought it was a good opportunity, um so the the the lot as it sits or sat previously, it's 175 foot by 150 feet, but it's actually two Parcels.

D

When it was built on I guess in the 60s. It was never split into just one parcel or made into one parcel. So it's actually a hundred foot and a 75 foot parcel right now. So, according to will Johnson when we bought the property we could build on it today. Just like it is as a hundred foot in a 75 foot, because that's the way it it's actually planted right now, but we want to do two lots, 190 foot, 185 foot by 150 feet. We just think it's more marketable.

D

We can put a little larger house on a 85-foot light and we can a 75 foot lot. So that's why we're here today to the one lot at 100 by 150 does meet the sfr1 the 75 by 150 does not, but since it's grandfather then we could build on it. So we're not adding any we're, not actually not adding more homes. We could still build two homes, we're just going to have two equal size, locks or close to equal size, Lots.

A

I've got a question for staff is: is that your understanding of the situation as well as far as there being two existing separate Lots.

B

They are two tax, Parcels I believe right now, but there was one home originally on it and then that has been torn down and now that is just an empty lot right now: okay,.

A

So we're not being asked to split the Lots just to move the dividing line. Basically.

B

Well, we wouldn't be doing that and we're talking about rezoning, we're not really happen later. If this was approved.

D

Okay, thank you. We're not we're not asking to add any Lots. We could. We could still build two homes on it. We're still going to build two homes, um we're not.

E

D

Not Gonna add any more homes so and there's really you know to address the the question about future, whatever there's really no other properties on this road that this came to I mean there's a there's, a property, a little ways down, but I, don't think it's not 175 feet wide, I, don't really know in the 60s when this was was built or planted, how they got a 175 foot lot built in the middle of it, but they did I guess they just bought two lights at the time.

D

So we are very, very close to the Creekside development, which is just right down the street, which those are those lots, are 60 foot locks I'm, not sure of the zoning with that zoned I think it's sfr, two or three?

D

Yes, so yeah, so those those lots or 60-foot Lots when they were built on.

A

Okay, do Commissioners have any questions for the applicant.

A

All right, if there are no questions for the applicant, is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak in favor of The, Proposal, okay, seeing none is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak against the proposal?

A

Please come to the podium and state your name and address for the record.

E

Good morning steam members of the board, my name is Fred Marshall. My address is 6716 Green Island Drive, my wife and I live in the property next door to the one that's being um for which the request is being submitted.

E

um We have um I, guess several oppositions several objections to uh it being rezone sfr2 um for one the property line. When we first bought the home back in 2002, uh it was the the gentleman we bought it from the couple that actually bought an extra 25 feet to put in a car pad so and then the the two lots that they want to rezone to sfr2.

E

It's actually two smaller lots, and so the house that was there that was there before that was torn down to you know, make way to build another home or to um it's. uh That's the situation, the history of it. um So we have about four concerns. One is the property line. We want to make sure that whatever happens, that the property line, because it was an extra 25 feet- was purchased by a gentleman named Wayne Kennedy, who was a previous owner, Wayne and Helen Kennedy, um is still respected.

E

I, don't I have looked for the marker and I haven't I mean I, just maybe I just didn't see it, but I don't know where it is. um I just want to make sure that they don't start building and then realize oh yeah, you're you're, building over over where you where you should be building another one. Is the drainage I'm going to pass around some pictures of um drainage?

E

Now, admittedly, we live slightly uh downhill from the rest of the homes on Green, Island Drive, so I'm not asking the Builder to defy gravity and redirect water flow, but prior to that lot being um that home being removed and the lot being cleared. We always had you know rain rain water coming down the hill, but it was pretty much clean rain water now because of there not being any um any vegetation plants trees whatever and no Foundation there's a lot of erosion. So we get uh during when it's there's heavy rains.

E

We get a lot of clay coming in like a river of clay water coming down our driveway and and actually into our garage and I'll pass around pictures of that. um Second, oh.

E

Okay, Miss.

C

Morgan um can.

E

C

Request that you put that on the screens- oh please, instead of passing that yeah, that's that's smart!.

E

uh So that's the second concern. The third concern is privacy, so um we, you know having two neighbors I'm I am totally in favor and I've I've talked with um uh Ralph learys. It seems to be a nice guy and I know. He builds good quality homes to be a custom home that he would build there.

E

So there that's not in question at all, but um two homes there on a lot that used to just have one home: uh it's gonna, be it's going to reduce privacy for both us and um the lady that lives on the uh the lot. That's on the other side of us, um that's another issue, privacy and then the property value now I I believe that our property values, um whether there's one home or two home built um on that lot, will almost certainly increase.

E

However, I think they would increase more if it was just one home built on the lot than two. If I were a homeowner or if I were a prospective homeowner looking to buy there, I would prefer one home with a bigger lot than looking at two homes on each smaller lot. Now you think.

E

Well, it's only you know a few feet whatever, but when you're talking about having neighbors that- and it's not just a few feet- it's you know whatever 25 feet, um two home split on two smaller Lots: it's going to be inconsistent with the other homes that are on that street.

E

So there's a there are a couple of homes on Whitesville Road that sort of illustrate this: they they they're they set up, um I guess around St, Mark's, Church I know some of you all know where I'm talking about, but they sit kind of back in their nice homes, but they're sort of close together, and that's one comment that home buyers.

E

You know when you're looking for homes, it's like that's a nice home, but it's kind of close or close to each other or Too Close I'd like to have a little bit of distance from my neighbors, so um like I, said I'm all in favor of leary and brown, developing that land and and building on it, but I opposed two homes being built on it. I would rather see just one home because that would be more consistent with the zoning currently on the street.

E

A

Just so I'm clear, your concern on the property value is with the value of the lot in question and not with your own property value.

E

um No, our own property value, because when we um again I believe it'll it'll go up either way.

E

I just believe: it'll go up more if it's just one home than two so I, you know, I, don't know if you all I'm sure you all have driven through neighborhoods looking for a home or whatever, when you're before you bought yours, um a common sentiment is sometimes you know, you think that's a nice house, but it's too close to the neighbor I mean I, would like a little bit extra extra land um but yeah to see it to address the the drainage issue.

E

um You see where that's all muddy and you see on the so on the right side. On the left side, that's our driveway, our garage door and uh the walkway um again I. You know they can't control the rain and the rain water. However, the it's it's before that lot was that home was removed.

E

um It was just regular rain water, but since then it's been like clay and um and I know he's put up silt fences to try to mitigate that somewhat, but it has it's been only minimally effective. So anyway, those are our objections to um to rezoning so far to be glad to entertain any questions.

E

A

Have a question for staff on the drainage issue is that's something that engineering with City engineering would address before issuing a permit.

B

Or is in the engineering, it would have to meet the ordinance standards, the storm water standards and.

A

They would look at the impact on not just that lot, but on other lots.

E

Of things correct.

A

E

You yeah and and I mean the drainage. That's just one one of the the um our objections, that's not the main one, but um because I know that can be that can be resolved, but it's mainly the property value and oh and the traffic too. uh So um from 16 trips to 25 trips.

E

um You know again, this neighborhood is uh it's not technically a part of Green Island Hills, but it's um I joke that we live in the poor section of Green Island Hills, it's not I mean we're very blessed to live there, no doubt, um but it's just having two homes that close together, it's gonna uh again, I think it's it's inconsistent with. What's already there, it would increase the traffic and it would make it somewhat less desirable. Even though I know that there's you know the Combs that we built there will be Custom.

E

Homes I would just rather see one custom home built there and, with you know, a nicer lot, a bigger lot for that homeowner than two that are smaller. So.

A

Okay, do Commissioners have any further questions.

F

But to the earlier point this is already two Parcels correct, so so you know legally technically you all can build two houses on this, as it is right now, one of them sfr1, one of them, that's fr2. So this.

B

One would be legally non-conforming, but it would still all be sfr1.

F

Yeah. Okay, um but the point is I mean I I understand what you're saying, but they also have the complete right to build two homes on this um and and that I don't know what we as a committee could could change on that.

E

Well, like, as Morgan pointed out, there would be, one of them would be non-conforming, so um I just think it would in it's in the interest of the of the neighbors of that street, um that only one home be built there instead of two, because again, I think that the resale values for all the homes would be higher if it were just one home than two, because eventually it's like well, you know we can.

E

You know when my wife and I, if and when we ever decide to move, um you know they'll, they could and we've had people approach us about selling our home. We're not right, we're not interested in selling.

E

um They could tear that one down and put two more there and then the the neighbor on the other side of um uh Miss carricker. They could tear that down and build two there and So.

E

Eventually, it's like you have a bunch of smaller I mean well homes on smaller Lots, where, before there were, um you know better more attractive sized Lots than than are being proposed to build the same size homes on so it's not they're, not even I mean it's going to be a good sized home, but a nice size home, that's actually going to be bigger than ours. uh It looks it's going to look inconsistent on somewhat smaller Lots than the other homes are on. So those are. Those are our concerns.

A

Thank you, hi to Commissioners have any further questions.

A

Okay, um would a commissioner like to make a motion.

C

I think I think the contractor would like to address some of the concerns. If you.

A

C

I'm sorry I just saw him.

D

And we've been glad to do it ahead of time um so rezoning this property is actually going to. Let us build a larger home on one of the Lots. The the property we were building previously is on a hundred by 150 foot lot. So it's 15 000 square foot lot. They bought that and tore it down. So we're going to have a 90 foot lot and an 85 foot lock.

D

Okay, you can build basically about the same size house on those lots, they're going to be uh they're, going to be more expensive, more expensive home on an 85-foot lot than it would be on 75.. So these house, these homes are going to be anywhere from 2500 to 3 300 feet and are going to be north of six hundred thousand dollars so somewhere between six and eight hundred thousand dollars. So it's certainly not going to be um cookie cutter.

D

You know cheaply Built Homes we're going to fully landscape the yards that will certainly address the drainage issue. They'll be fully landscaped to the to the street irrigation systems. Put in what have you? um So you know it's certainly not going to decrease the property values. I, don't know what the other parcel sizes are. I'm, not sure what his lot size is. I'm, not sure what the other Parcels are on that street. There's there's not a numerous number of parcels available.

D

um This was by far the largest one. That's why we purchased it. It was 175 feet, you're not going to be able to buy 100 foot lot and cut it into into two lots.

D

That's what made this this piece you know appealing to us is. We could get get two lots out of it as it sits today. So um you know I think it will certainly enhance the area as far as building one home on it, um you're going from you're going from building a home on a lot, that's going to be worth 150 to 160 000, trying to build it on a three hundred thousand dollar lot.

D

I. Just don't think that area will support a home on a 300 000 lot. There's nice homes there when you build on a 300, 000 lot, you're going to be building a Million, Dollar Plus home, and that is a little busier. Street and I. Just don't think that you're going to be there's a market there for a Million, Dollar Plus home. So these will be very nice homes, I think it'll, you know enhance the streetscape. What have you so we're anxious to get started.

A

Thank you. Mr Marshall also mentioned his first concern being the half a foot that was purchased by the previous owner of his uh his plot. Are you aware of that or.

D

Well, I mean we, we had it engineered before we bought it. You know, and we have a preliminary platform. The engineer we will certainly have have to have it replanted and re-engineered before we start and clearly Mark that line I mean We're, not gonna. We're not going to build over a property line. We'll have to adhere to the setbacks for sfr2, which I think is he put Sidelines 10 foot Sidelines we're not going to build a wall-to-wall, but we'll have to adhere to those sidelines.

A

Okay, thank you.

E

So I I thought I was clear when I said um I didn't say it would decrease the property value in in any way. I made it clear that um that whether they build one or two, it's going to increase I just think it would increase the property value more if they built one uh and I never said it'd be quick cutter homes. I have a great respect for uh Lillian Brown's, the builders they've, they build very cool. You know good quality homes and it's gonna be a custom home. So I have no objection there whatsoever.

E

um Also. He said that the lot wouldn't support one home. It supported one home before so. It'll support one home again, I think it's I think as a prospective homeowner I believe that one home would be more attractive on that lot than two homes closer together on smaller Lots would be.

A

A

All right would any Commissioners like to make a motion.

G

I'll make a motion when it comes to recn04230714 request to rezone 0.6 acres of land located at 6700-6708 Green Island Drive. Current zoning sfr1 proposed zoning sfr2 I'm making motion to approve.

A

Do we have a second okay, all those in favor raise your right hand? Okay, it's unanimous! Thank you.

A

All right, I see no further new business and no old business. uh Okay,.

H

um This is my last meeting and so I just wanted to say thank you. It's been a real honor serving with everybody on the planning advisory commission I especially want to thank John, renfroe and Ralph King for answering a million questions when I first started this job and it's been a real pleasure serving Columbus on this board. Thank.

A

You no thank you for your service.

A

Okay, do we have a motion to adjourn and seconded all those in favor okay meeting is adjourned. Thank you.

A