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.org/planning
STAFF REPORT
REZN 11-10-5370
Applicant: Philip Thayer
Owner: Midland Downs Development, LLC
Location 7364, 8997 and 9163 Macon Road
Acreage: 125.5 acres
Current Zoning Classification: RE1 (Residential Estate1)/ SFR3 (Single Family Residential 3)
Proposed Zoning Classification: PMUD (Planned Mixed Use Development)
Current Use of Property: Undeveloped
Proposed Use of Property: Single family residential, multi-family residential, &
commercial
Council District: District 6 (Allen)
Planning Advisory Commission's Recommendation: Approval based upon the fact that it is
consistent with the future land use map of the Comprehensive Plan and
compatible with existing land-uses. The Planning Advisory Commission confirmed
the recommended Major Amendments, which are attached.
Planning Departments Recommendation: Conditional Approval based upon the fact that it is
consistent with the future land use map of the Comprehensive Plan and
compatible with existing land-uses. The Planning Department concurs with the
recommended major amendments, which are attached. The recommended condition
is: Smoke and noise disclosure statements shall be included in all real estate
documents.
Fort Benning's Rcommendation: Fort Benning concurs with the rezoning request but recommends
that smoke and noise disclosure statements shall be included in all real estate
documents.
DRI Rcommendation: None.
General Land Use: Planning Area B
Land Use Designation: Single Family Residential
Environmental Impacts: The developer will need an approved drainage plan prior to
issuance of a Site Development permit.
City Services: Property is served by all city services.
Traffic Impact: The proposed development is not expected to have a negative impact on
the transportation network. The developer has partnered with the city to
construct a road that extends Yarbrough Road to US Highway 80. Said road will
alleviate pressure on Lynch, Yarbrough, and Garrett Roads as it creates an
alternate route to US Highway 80. Garrett Pines and Garret Lake subdivisions,
as well as the proposed PMUD, will be less likely to commute internally back to
Lynch, Yarbrough, or Garrett Roads as they will have a more proximate route to
US Highway 80. The only traffic that may travel toward Lynch Road internally
may be school traffic in an attempt to reach the new middle school or Mathews
Elementary.
Also, the intersection of Highway 80 and Lynch Road/Technology Parkway is
currently being improved to add turn lanes and signalization. This will also
help to alleviate congestion along Lynch Road.
Surrounding Zoning: North ? SFR3 (Single Family Residential 3) / HMI (Heavy
Manufacturing Industrial)
South ? SFR2 (Single Family Residential 2) / RE1(Residential Estate 1)
East ? HMI (Heavy Manufacturing Industrial)
West ? HMI (Heavy Manufacturing Industrial)
Reasonableness of Request The proposed zoning classification is compatible with
existing land uses.
School Impact Elementary age students would attend Matthews Elementary (PK-5), which
has 503 students (capacity: 575). Middle School age students would attend
Midland Middle School (6-8), which has 774 students (capacity: 875). High
school age students would attend Shaw High School, which has 1194 students
(capacity: 1350).
There is currently a new middle school proposed for the northeast corner of the
intersection of Yarbrough Road and Garrett Road. The property has been
purchased by the MCSD.
The MCSD has also purchased property south of Old Pope Road with access to
Midland Road and Highway 80. Said property has been designated by MCSD as a
potential future campus, which may include a high school, middle school, and/or
elementary school.
A determination has not been made as to the impact of this development on the
proposed neighboring schools.
Buffer Requiremnts
The proposed development shall meet the
buffer requirements for Master Planned
Developments as defined in the UDO.
Attitude of Property Owners: Seven (7) property owners within 300 feet were notified of
the rezoning request. The Planning Department has received two inquiries about
the rezoning request.
The rezoning applicants, Councilor Allen, members of the Midland Homeowners
Association, and various residents in the area held a meeting on December 14,
2010 to discuss the project and address any issues or potential impacts.
Additional Information: Major Amendments: YES (see attached). There are a total of 3 major
amendments, all dealing with buffer reductions. Two of the requested
amendments are buffer reductions related to neighboring future land uses. A
request has been made to reduce the required buffer from 100 feet to 0 feet
because proposed single family residential lots will be abutting proposed
single family residential lots in the adjoining Garrett Pines subdivision.
Another request is to reduce the aforementioned required buffer from 100 feet
to 50 feet on Calumet Road, which will allow for more buffer flexibility on US
Highway 80. The final request is to reduce the required 100 feet buffer on US
Highway 80 to 50 feet. However, the developer has stated on record that the
average width of the US Highway 80 buffer will be 100 feet, but there are
locations within the buffer due to waterways that will not be able to maintain
the 100 feet.
Planned Unit Developments are required to have 25% open space, the proposed
development will have over 80% open space as a trade off in exchange for the
requested amendments. Said open space in a PMUD is more restrictive in what
qualifies as open space than in the other Planned Unit Developments. Some of
the possible open space possibilities are passive parks, conservation areas,
and floodplain/water control/drainage management. The proposed reduced buffers
allow the developer to be flexible with his open space, which is proposed to be
almost 48%, almost double the requirement.
In June of 2006 the City Council conditionally approved the rezoning of 35.16
acres of the eastern portion of the subject property for single family
residential.
Since that time, Thayer Properties has partnered with Will Burgin (owner of the
western portion of the proposed development) to combine their properties and
propose developing a Planned Mixed Unit Development (PMUD). Said PMUD includes
approximately 260 single-family units and 200 multi-family units. The
development will have a commercial center at the intersection of Calumet Road
and US Highway 80.
Attachments:
Attachments