Columbus, Georgia

PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING

February 2, 2005



A meeting of the Planning Advisory Commission was held Wednesday, February 2,

2005 in the Council Chambers on the Plaza Level of the Government Center.



Commissioners Present: Chairperson Derrick Shields, Vice Chairperson Shep

Mullin, Chris Henson, Berry Henderson, Sharon Jamison, Brad Dodds, Bob Crane

and Joe Alexander.



Staff Members: Will Johnson, Zoning Administrator and Tina Trant, Recorder.



Commissioners Absent: Karl Douglass



Others Present: Jennifer Allen, Ben Billings.





I. CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Shields called the meeting to order at 9:09

a.m. He explained the rezoning process. Commissioner Henson will vote for

Commissioner Douglass.



II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Commissioner Henson made a motion to approve the

December 1, 2004 minutes. Commissioner Jamison seconded. The minutes were

approved unanimously.



III. NEW REZONING CASE:



1. ZC0501-5: A request to rezone the property located at 6001 & 6003 Warm

Springs Road. The current zoning is R-1A (Low Density Residential) / PUD

(Planned Unit Development) / A-1 (Agricultural) Districts. The proposed zoning

is A-0 (Apartment/Office) District. The purpose of the rezoning is for

apartments.



The Billings Company & Tiger Creek Development, Applicants



Mr. Will Johnson read the Staff Report for this case. This case is in Planning

District 3. The future land use map meets one property and does not meet the

other. The property at 6001 Warm Springs Road shows High Density Residential,

which is consistent. 6003 Warm Springs Road shows High Density Residential and

is not consistent with the future land use map.



Policy Statements are not addressed.



It is compatible with existing land uses.



The property does not lie within a studied floodplain and floodway area. The

developer will need an approved drainage plan prior to issuance of a Site

Development Permit, if a permit is required.



The property is served by all city services.



The proposed project is not expected to have a negative impact on the

transportation network. The current traffic count is 6,755 trips per day and

will increase to 6,931 trips per day. The level of service will remain at B

(7,900 trips per day) for Warm Springs Road.



The site shall meet the codes and regulations of the Columbus Consolidated

Government for commercial usage.



This development could average about 5 to 10 children of various ages.

Elementary age students would attend Midland Academy, which has 781 students,

capacity 550. Middle School age students would attend Blackmon Road Middle

School which has 889 students, capacity 750. High school age students would

attend Shaw High which has 1,035 students, capacity 1,200.



The proposed development shall have a Category B buffer requirement along the

property lines bordered by the R-1A zoning districts. The three options under

Category B are: 1) 15 feet with a certain amount of canopy trees, understory

trees, and shrubs / ornamental grasses per 100 linear feet. 2) 10 feet with a

certain amount of understory trees and shrubs / ornamental grasses per 100

linear feet and a wood fence, masonry wall, or earth berm. 3) 20 feet

undisturbed natural buffer.



If the property at 6003 Warm Springs Road is rezoned to R-3A, then there will

be no buffer requirement.



It is not within Fort Benning?s notification zone.



It is not a DRI.



Seven (7) property owners within 300 feet were notified of this rezoning

request. The Planning Division did not receive any comments concerning this

rezoning request.



Special conditions are needed: 1. all lighting shall be directed internally. 2.

any external trash dumpsters / compactors shall be visually obstructed by a

structure that is aesthetically similar to the proposed development. 3.

screening for air conditioners, refrigeration units and heat pumps shall be

required for all development on the property. 4. no external trash dumpsters /

compactors shall be permitted along the west and south property lines.



There is no additional information.



Ben Billings, of the Billings Company, applicant came to the podium. His

company in conjunction with Tiger Creek Development want to rezone this

property for apartments, condos and retail. Approximately 56 condo/apartment

units will be built. The units will have two master suites. They will be

rentals. It is approximately 10 acres. There will be apartments over retail

next to this property. He wants to take what is downtown and take it to the

suburbs.



Chairperson Shields asked for discussion and a motion. Commissioner Crane made

a motion to approve this rezoning request based on the facts that it is

compatible with existing land uses, it does not lie within a floodplain area,

it is served by all city services, and it will not have a negative impact on

traffic. Commissioner Jamison seconded. The motion carried unanimously.





IV. NEW BUSINESS:

The UDO needs to be cleaned up a little. Some additional typos were found.

There are other changes. This is a text amendment that allows us to make these

changes.



Commissioner Henderson made a motion to approve this Text Amendment.

Commissioner Crane seconded. It was approved unanimously to make these changes.



VI. OLD BUSINESS:



VII. ADJOURNMENT:

The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 a.m.







______________________________ ______________________________

Derrick Shields, Chairperson Will Johnson, Zoning

Administator