Columbus, Georgia

PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING



September 17, 2003



A meeting of the Planning Advisory Commission was held Wednesday, September 17,

2003 in the Council Chambers on the Plaza Level of the Government Center.



Commissioners Present: Chairperson Brad Dodds, Vice Chairman Rick McKnight,

Sharon Jamison, Karl Douglass, Shep Mullin, Derrick Shields, Berry Henderson

and Bob Crane.



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



Commissioners Absent: Michael Corradino



Others Present: Wes Driver and Jim Hilt.



I. CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Dodds called the meeting to order at

10:05 a.m. Chairperson Dodds explained the rezoning process to the audience.

He also stated that Alternates Shep Mullin and Bob Crane would vote for Michael

Corradino and Karl Douglass who were absent. (Karl Douglass came in later.)

Chairperson Dodds also stated that zoning case ZC0309-2 is being tabled until

October 1, 2003.



II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Chairperson Dodds asked for a motion for the

August 20, 2003 minutes to be accepted. Vice Chairperson McKnight asked for

changes to be made to the minutes because he felt that zoning case ZC0306-8

needed to be detailed further. Commissioner Shields made a motion to approve

the minutes with changes made and Commissioner Crane seconded the motion. The

minutes were approved unanimously.





III. REZONING CASES:



1). ZC0308-1: A request to rezone the properties located from 5385 to 5421

Schatulga Road. The current zoning is R-1A (Low Density Residential) District.

The proposed zoning is M-1 (Light Manufacturing) District. The property is to

be used for light manufacturing.



Wes Driver, Applicant



Mr. Will Johnson read the Finding of Facts for this case. For the record, he

stated all addresses pertaining to this case: 5385, 5389, 5393, 5397, 5401,

5405, 5409, 5413, 5417 and 5421 Schatulga Road. This case is consistent with

the future land-use map of the Comprehensive Plan (P. D. 7), which shows

Industrial / Warehousing for this area. Policy Statements are not addressed.

It is compatible with existing land uses. It is served by public water,

sanitary sewer and all City services. The property does not lie within a

studied floodplain and floodway area. The Engineering Department will need to

approve a drainage plan prior to issuance of a Site Development Permit. The

request does not constitute spot zoning. It will not have a negative impact on

the transportation network. It must meet the codes and regulations of the City

of Columbus, Consolidated Government for commercial usage. Special conditions

are needed: 1) all lighting shall be directed internally using deflector

shields, 2) screening for trash dumpsters / compactors, air conditioners,

refrigeration units, and heat pumps shall be required for all development on

the property, and 3) driveway access shall be determined by the City Traffic

Engineer. There were no comments from adjoining property owners.



Mr. Wes Driver, applicant, came to the podium. The owner of the property has a

contract to sell three acres of the property to a light manufacturer. They

would like to rezone the entire tract of land, approximately 9 acres, for

future development of other small light manufacturing facilities.



Vice Chairperson McKnight asked Mr. Driver about the curb-cuts.



Mr. Johnson stated that curb-cuts will be determined by the City Traffic

Engineer.



Mr. Jim Hilt, broker with Kennon, Parker, Duncan and Key Real Estate Company,

has the other lots under contract, which is a growing business. It is

something that the Chamber of Commerce will be involved in. They are a small

manufacturing business.



Chairman Dodds asked for discussion and a motion. Commissioner Mullin motion

to conditionally approve this rezoning case based on the fact that it is

consistent with the future land-use map of the Comprehensive Plan, it is

compatible with existing land-uses, it is served by all City services, it does

not constitute spot zoning, and it will not have a negative impact on the

transportation network. Special conditions are needed: 1) all lighting shall

be directed internally using deflector shields, 2) screening for trash

dumpsters / compactors, air conditioners, refrigeration units, and heat pumps

shall be required for all development on the property, and 3) driveway access

shall be determined by the City Traffic Engineer. Commissioner Shields

seconded the motion. The vote was carried unanimously.





2). ZC0309-1: A request for a text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance by

adding a time limit concerning zoning cases that are tabled. Various cases are

currently tabled (between PAC and Council) and have been for over a year.



Planning Division, Applicant



Chairperson Dodds stated that Commissioner Douglass is now in attendance and he

will be voting and Commissioner Crane will be the alternate.



Mr. Will Johnson read the Finding of Facts for this case. This is a text

amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to create a time limit concerning tabled

zoning cases. The Planning Division, at the request of Columbus Council, is

proposing to create a time limit for tabled cases. Zoning cases that are

submitted to the Planning Division can be tabled at any time for an indefinite

period. Currently, there are three cases that have been tabled for over one

year. The Planning Advisory Commission has heard all three cases and the

Commission has passed recommendations on the aforementioned cases. The

applicants have asked that their cases be tabled before the Planning Division

submits a recommendation to Council. The text amendment will limit the period

of time to table a case to six (6) months, regardless of where the case is in

the zoning process.



Tabled cases will only be allowed one time in the process. If a case is tabled

with the consent of the Planning Advisory Commission or the Columbus Council, a

specific date to continue the hearing must be stated by the Commission or

Council and / or agreed upon by the applicant. When a case is tabled by

theCommission, it is not counted against the applicant. This is strictly for

the applicant to table a case. This is only for new cases, not for the three

tabled cases we now have.



Commissioner Dodds asked for discussion and a motion. Commissioner Douglass

made a motion to approve the text amendment request. Vice-Chairperson McKnight

seconded the motion. The vote was carried unanimously.



3). ZC0309-2: A request to rezone the property at 2818 8th Street. The

current

zoning is R-4 (High Density Residential) District. The proposed zoning is R-3

(Medium Density Residential) District. The property is to be used for

single-family

residential. This case was tabled until October 1, 2003.



Planning Division, Applicant





Mr. Johnson stated that the case was being tabled because there were some

parcels that were left

out of the original application and that the request would be for R-3 and

R-3A. He stated that

these properties were being rezoned as part of the Hope VI Grant for Peabody

Apartments.



Commissioner Douglass asked how this could be included with the project since

it was far away

Peabody Apartments.



Mr. Johnson stated that the grant included these areas of East Wynnton. He

stated that

Commissioner Douglass was correct; the majority of the grant included Peabody,

which is some

distance away from this site.



IV. NEW BUSINESS



Vice-Chairperson McKnight requested that staff update the PAC concerning zoning

cases that have been before the PAC but that are still going through the

process.



Mr. Johnson stated that staff would send out e-mail explaining where cases are

in the process and how they are developing.



V. OLD BUSINESS



VI. ADJOURNMENT



The meeting was adjourned at 10:28 a.m.









___________________________________ ___________________________________



Bradford Dodds, Chairperson Will Johnson, Zoning Administrator