The Columbus Consolidated Government
Planning Department
Post Office Box 1340 Columbus, Georgia 31902-1340
Telephone (706) 653-4116
Fax (706) 653-4120
Website: www.columbusga.com/mpo
03/04/2008
Honorable Mayor and Councilors
City Manager
City Attorney
Clerk of Council
Subject: (ZC0801-3) Request to amend the text of the Unified Development
Ordinance (UDO) to amend two minor issues related to ?Planting Specifications?
and one major issue related to ?Auto/Truck sales, new and used?.
Minor Changes: The Tree Board and the City Arborist have approached the
Planning Department about moving forward two of their corrections needed in the
UDO regarding planting specifications. The recommended changes are as follows:
Section No. Change Error Correction Needed Comments
4.5.10.E Minor Planting Specifications Add new subsection: E. Standards for Planting. See
Section 4.6.15. Requested by Tree Board.
4.5.11.B Minor Placement, Installation, and Irrigation Add the following to the end of
subsection B: See Section 4.6.15. Requested by Tree Board.
Major Change: The Planning Department has been working with a few car dealers
regarding the updating of the minimum lot size requirements for Auto/Truck
sales, new and used. Currently, the lot size minimum for auto/truck sales is
2.0 acres. This requirement has placed an undo hardship on some dealers who
have operations in appropriate locations, such as Box Road and the 5000 block
of Veterans Parkway. The Planning Department is recommending a text amendment
to allow auto/truck sales on a lot size minimum of ? acre as a Special
Exception Use. Any request for auto/truck sales from ? acre (21,780 SF) to
1.999 acres shall require said Special Exception. The recommended changes are
as follows:
Section 3.2.8. Auto/Truck Sales, New and Used.
Minimum Lot Size.
1. Permitted Use. Auto/truck sales, new and used, in excess of two (2) acres,
shall be located as a permitted use as provided in Section 3.1.1.
2. Special Exception. Auto/truck sales, new and used, in excess of one-half
(1/2) acre (21,780 square feet) but less than two (2) acres (87,120 square
feet), shall be located as a special exception use as provided in Section
3.1.1. The following additional standards exceeding what is required by
Section 10.2.7.B shall apply:
A site plan review shall be required. Said site plan shall identify location
of buildings, employee and customer parking, and parking for for-sale vehicles.
For-sale vehicles shall be limited to a maximum of fifty (50) percent lot
coverage.
Auto/truck sales shall meet all other requirements of this section.
The Planning Advisory Commission considered this text amendment at their
meeting on February 20, 2008. The Planning Advisory Commission recommended
that this text change be approved.
The Planning Department recommends approval.
Attached is a copy of the Planning Department?s Staff Report.
Sincerely,
Rick Jones, AICP
Director of Columbus Metropolitan Planning Organization
STAFF REPORT
ZC0801-3
APPLICATION
The Planning Department proposes to amend the text of the UDO to amend two
minor issues related to ?Planting Specifications? and one major issue related
to ?Auto/Truck sales, new and used?.
PROPOSED TEXT AMMENDMENT
Section No. Change Error Correction Needed Comments
4.5.10.E Minor Planting Specifications Add new subsection: E. Standards for Planting. See
Section 4.6.15. Requested by Tree Board.
4.5.11.B Minor Placement, Installation, and Irrigation Add the following to the end of
subsection B: See Section 4.6.15. Requested by Tree Board.
And
Section 3.2.8. Auto/Truck Sales, New and Used.
Minimum Lot Size.
1. Permitted Use. Auto/truck sales, new and used, in excess of two (2) acres,
shall be located as a permitted use as provided in Section 3.1.1.
2. Special Exception. Auto/truck sales, new and used, in excess of one-half
(1/2) acre (21,780 square feet) but less than two (2) acres (87,120 square
feet), shall be located as a special exception use as provided in Section
3.1.1. The following additional standards exceeding what is required by
Section 10.2.7.B shall apply:
(A) A site plan review shall be required. Said site plan shall identify
location of buildings, employee and customer parking, and parking for for-sale
vehicles.
(B) For-sale vehicles shall be limited to a maximum of fifty (50) percent lot
coverage.
(C) Auto/truck sales shall meet all other requirements of this section.
PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
The Planning Advisory Commission considered this text amendment at their
meeting on February 20, 2008. The Planning Advisory Commission recommended
approval.
PLANNING DIVISION RECOMMENDATION
The Planning Department recommends approval.
MAPS & PHOTOS
Attachments
No attachments for this document.