AN ORDINANCE
NO.
An Ordinance amending the Unified Development Ordinance of Columbus, Georgia
by creating a new 2nd Avenue Overlay District; and for other purposes.
THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1.
The Columbus, Georgia Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) is hereby
amended by adding a new Section 2.5.24 to read as follows:
?Section 2.5.24 2nd Avenue Overlay District Ordinance
A. Purpose and Intent.
The purposes of this section are to:
1. Provide for a Gateway entrance into Columbus which displays our textile
manufacturing beginnings and distinct southern history.
2. Promote and enhance the aesthetic qualities of development within the
arterial road corridor of 2nd Avenue through the implementation of land use
regulations, and within which amenity features are encouraged.
3. Provide management of the location and intensity of development within the
arterial road corridor and to concentrate development in focus areas.
4. Provide safe access by vehicles and pedestrians to destinations in the
corridor in a manner that does not conflict with access to individual
developments or the roadway?s primary purpose.
5. Promote the minimization of visual clutter along the City?s major roadways.
6. Provide a quality and sustainable living environment for the citizens of
Columbus.
7. Provide urban form, by planting trees, shrubs, groundcover and other
landscaping material in open space areas, which enhance development of the
urban environment by promoting shade, cooling the air through evaporation,
restoring oxygen to the atmosphere, reducing glare and noise levels, and
promoting an ecological habitat for animal and plant species.
8. Provide greater control over the aesthetic and functional characteristics of
development along major thoroughfares and roadways that serve as major
entrances to the community, where higher development standards can effectively
enhance the City?s image as a desirable place to live, work and shop.
B. Definitions.
Amenity: Pedestrian shelters, gazebos, decorative paving, pathways and
sidewalks, trees, landscaping, retention ponds when designed according to the
specifications of this Ordinance, signage when scaled to the pedestrian and
constructed of materials and sizes specified in this Ordinance and other
aesthetic features and characteristics approved by the City.
Corridor: All lands that are undeveloped and/or any developed lands that are
redeveloped on the date of adoption of this ordinance which are located within
500 feet of the center line of 2nd Avenue (from 18th Street, North to
Manchester Expressway/45th Street) with a 500-foot depth at each intersection,
or as shown on the official zoning, land use, or corridor maps.
Focus areas: An area of land within the Corridor, at the intersection of the
Corridor and any other intersecting public road. Unless more specifically shown
on the corridor overlay map, a focus area shall be generally limited to a
square parcel of land extending 500 feet from the intersection to which it
pertains, in both directions along the road rights-of-way. The focus areas will
not include this intersection ?2nd Avenue and 42nd Street? It may be included
by mutual agreement of the City and other interested parties.
C. Applicability.
1. This Ordinance shall apply to all properties lying within the 2nd Avenue
Corridor, as shown on the official zoning map and the overlay district map,
which is hereby adopted and made a part of this Ordinance. Single-family
residential homes are excluded from this ordinance. No clearing or other
disturbance of land shall occur, and no building, structure or use shall be
established, except in compliance with the provisions of this Ordinance and the
Unified Development Ordinance.
2. These standards shall apply to all redevelopment activities. Redevelopment
is defined as one or more of the following:
(A) Demolition of an existing building and rebuilding on the site.
(B) Expansion of the gross square footage of building?s or a site?s physical
development by 50% or greater, from the date of the Ordinance inception
D. Encouraged Uses.
Mixed uses such as commercial, civic spaces, institutional uses and residences
(including residential use in the same building with commercial), and office or
other uses, are especially encouraged within Focus Areas.
E. Design Requirements/Access.
1. Transportation/Infrastructure.
A. Vehicular Access to Site. Within the Corridor, the subdivision of lots along
an arterial road shall not be allowed if designed so that each lot has its own
individual access to the major road unless approved by the Directors of
Engineering and Planning. Each pod of development, or if subdivided, each lot
(including out parcels), shall be connected with on-site access to an alley way
or interconnecting driveway, rather than directly to the arterial road.
B. Private Roadway/Driveways. Two-way access may be allowed at existing
intersections or at new intersections at intervals of 1000 feet only with the
approval of the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Directors of
Engineering and Planning or their designees for the Columbus Consolidated
Government.
C. Interparcel Access. All land parcels, excluding single-family residential,
fronting the Corridor right-of-way shall have interparcel connectivity via
either an alley way or a travel way that is delineated from parking areas such
that short trips between developments can be made without use of the major road
within the corridor. Within a focus area, development shall interconnect with
the road or travel way network of any adjacent development or site within the
focus area unless the Directors of Engineering and Planning determines such
connection would constitute an undue hardship.
D. Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be required as established under Chapter 7,
Article 10 of the Unified Development Ordinance and shall be adjacent to all
non-limited access public rights-of-way. Sections along 2nd Avenue between
35th street and 38th street shall not be less than 8 feet in width.
E. Pedestrian Access. Pedestrian access should be provided to individual
developments from any sidewalk, unless topography prohibits construction of
facilities meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
2. Retail Developments. For retail developments totaling 200,000 square feet
or more of gross leasable area; or uses that result in a building of 100,000
square feet or more of gross leasable area whether by new construction or by
expansion of existing uses, such developments shall also comply with the Retail
Developments of Community Significance section of this Unified Development
Ordinance.
3. Utility Location. All new utility lines serving a development constructed
after the effective date of this ordinance shall be located underground.
4. Landscaping Requirements.
(A) General. All developments shall be landscaped, screened, and buffered in
accordance with Articles 5 and 6 of Chapter 4 of the Unified Development
Ordinance except ten (10) Tree Density Unit (TDU) per acre for all
non-residential development shall be required. If the TDU requirement cannot be
met, an administrative variance or tree replacement fund may be granted by the
City Arborist according to Chapter 4, Articles 5 and 6 of the Unified
Development Ordinance. All trees inside the Landscaped strip within the Right
of Way shall be applied to the TDU requirement for the parcel that it abuts.
(B) A minimum five-foot wide landscaped strip adjacent to all road
rights-of-way with tree plantings every 30 linear feet shall be provided. Trees
shall have a mature growth height of 20-feet and comply with the required and
prohibited tree planting list in table 4.6.5 in the Unified Development
Ordinance (UDO). Parking, merchandise displays, and off-street loading are
prohibited in the landscaped strip.
5. Parking/Yard, Height and Setback.
(A) Location of Parking Areas. Buildings should be located at the corner of
sites closest to the road intersection, so that the parking areas are screened
by the building from view of any public road, and so that the travel path from
public sidewalks is shortened. Parking must be located in a way that is not
visually dominant. Parking between buildings and an arterial road is
discouraged.
(B) Up to 25% of the required parking spaces for any development may be reduced
in total area, width, or depth for designated small vehicle parking. Each
small vehicle parking space shall not be less than eight feet in width and
seventeen (17) feet in depth.
(C) All nonresidential developments shall meet subsection 1 and at least one of
subsection 2 or 3 requirements:
(1)
Gross Square Feet Maximum % of Parking Spaces Allowed in Front of Buildings
7,501 to 25,000 10%
25,001 to 50,000 15%
50,001 > 20%
(2) When parking areas are provided in a front yard (in between a public road
right-of-way and a principal building), a minimum 18-inch evergreen hedge shall
be installed to obscure visibility of the parking lot from the Corridor. This
evergreen hedge must reach a minimum height of 2.5 feet within 2 years of
planting. Screening may be located in the planting yard if it does not impede
other uses or purposes of the yard.
(3) When parking areas are provided in a front yard (in between a public road
right-of-way and a principle building), a combination of landscaped earthen
berm and evergreen hedge with a minimum height of 18 inches shall be used. The
total height of landscaped earthen berm and hedge combination shall reach a
minimum height of 2.5 feet at planting. Screening shall be located in the
planting yard if it does not impede other uses or purposes of the yard.
6. Signage.
(A) Monument Signs. Freestanding signs shall be monument style. Base and sign
structure shall be constructed of materials such as brick, stone, stucco, wood
or metal consistent with the architecture and exterior treatment of the
building. Signs for single businesses shall not exceed thirty-six (36) square
feet in size and a height of six (6) feet. Joint identification signs for
multiple businesses at one location may have a monument sign not to exceed
sixty-four (64) square feet in size and a height of eight (8) feet.
Inflatable/flying, bench, roof, and mobile/portable signs and street banners,
as defined in Sections 4.4.5 of the Unified Development Ordinance are not
allowed. Canopy and awning sign(s) shall be limited to fifteen square feet per
road frontage, and if lighted, the lettering shall be individually formed and
lighted.
(B) Shingle Signs. A sign that is suspended, parallel, or perpendicular from a
building wall, roof, fa?ade, canopy, marquee, or porch by means of brackets,
hooks, or chains and the like. The sign area shall be no more than 24 inches
in height and 36 inches in length. The sign area can be both front and back.
F. Building Placement, Height and Intensity.
1. Placement Generally. Buildings should be arranged so that they help frame
and define the fronting arterial road (i.e., the arterial road in the corridor,
an intersecting arterial road, or internal streets or driveways of the
development), thus giving deliberate form to streets and sidewalk areas.
2. Building Height. Commercial buildings located within or adjacent to
residential zoning district shall step up in height as you move into the
interior of the parcel. This will be a 3:1 ratio per foot.
3. Setback: setbacks shall be 5-feet from the front property line.
3. Building Mass, Intensity and Density. Mass of buildings and building
intensity (floor area ratios) should be highest when located closest to the
arterial road intersection, transitioning to progressively lower intensities
moving outwards to the outer edge of the focus area. Buildings at the outer
edge of the focus area should be comparable in mass and intensity with the
surrounding neighborhood or existing land uses adjacent and beyond the focus
area.
G. Provisions for Specific Uses.
1. Communication Towers. Communication towers shall only be allowed under the
provisions for a Concealed Support Structure as defined under the Unified
Development Ordinance.
2. Fences and Walls. Where provided and where visible from the right of way of
a public road, fences and walls shall be composed of iron, stone, masonry, or
concrete. Landscaping should be used to minimize or soften the appearance from
the public right-of-way. Chain link fencing shall not be permitted except in
rear yards of residential developments and shall be screened with vegetation to
a height of six (6) feet.
3. Drive-Through Facilities. Drive-through facilities shall be located to the
rear or side of the building and shall not abut an amenity zone or face the
Corridor arterial roadway.
H. Gas Station Pump Islands.
Gas station pump islands must be mostly obscured from view from the roadway.
Pump islands should be placed in the rear of the property with the retail use
fronting on the roadway. Pump islands shall only house gas pumps,
windshield-cleaning materials, and trash receptacles. Canopies for gas pumps
shall have architectural style and detail such as gabled or hip roofs with a
three to twelve roof pitch or higher. All support columns shall be brick, brick
veneer, or stone construction. Buildings located at establishments selling
gasoline shall comply with section 2.5.20.K (Architecture). Canopies shall only
display logo identification signs. No other advertising is allowed.
I. Outside Display and Storage and Service Areas.
1. Exterior storage structures or uses, including the parking or storage of
service vehicles, trailers, equipment, containers, crates, pallets,
merchandise, materials, fork lifts, trash, recyclables, and all other items
shall be permitted only where clearly depicted and labeled on the approved site
plan. Such outdoor storage uses and areas shall be appropriately screened as
required by this ordinance. The following standards are intended to reduce the
impacts of outdoor storage, loading and operations areas on adjacent land uses,
and to protect the outdoor area of the subject property.
(A) Areas for truck parking and loading shall be screened by a combination of
structures and evergreen landscaping to minimize visibility from adjacent
streets and residential district lines.
(B) Outdoor storage, loading, and operations shall be attractively screened
from adjacent parcels and streets.
(C) Outdoor storage, trash collection and/or compaction, loading or other such
uses shall be located in the rear of the lot. If, because of lot configuration,
the Director of Inspections and Code determines that such placement is not
feasible, then the side yard may be used, but in no case shall such area(s) be
open or face the corridor within a minimum of 100 ft from the right-of-way
along 2nd Avenue.
(D) Seasonal merchandise such as Christmas trees, Halloween pumpkins, bedding
plants, etc. may be displayed in any outdoor area up to four times per calendar
year for a cumulative total not to exceed eight weeks per year.
(E) Areas for the storage and sale of all other merchandise shall not be
located in parking lots, and shall be permanently defined and confined to areas
shown on the initial plans submitted for approval to the City.
(F) No products containing toxic chemicals, such as fertilizers, insecticides,
herbicides, cement, etc., shall be stored in any uncovered outside location
where they might enter the stormwater drainage system in the event of any
spillage, breakage, or tearing of the container.
J. Stormwater Detention Facilities.
Open storm drainage and detention areas visible from the corridor shall not be
fenced, but shall be landscaped and incorporated into the design of the
development as an attractive amenity. Wet-bottom basins are encouraged. Green
roofs and bio-swells/rain gardens are encouraged to help provide for more
semi-pervious areas and provide first flush measures.
K. Architecture.
The following requirements shall not apply to single-family residential
developments.
1. Architectural design shall comply with the following performance
guidelines:
(A) Building facades visible from roadways or public parking areas shall be of
architectural treatments of glass and/or brick, stone or stucco. Tilt-up or
pre-cast concrete or alternate material may be used subject to review and
approval of the Planning Department.
(B) Metal-sided or portable buildings shall be prohibited.
(C) Roofing materials for pitched or mansard roofs shall be of colors
compatible with the building and subject to approval and limited to the
following materials:
1) Metal standing seam.
2) Tile, slate or stone.
3) Wood shake.
4) Shingles with a slate, tile or metal appearance.
5) Architectural shingles (asphalt composition shingles)
6) Other materials subject to approval.
(D) All rooftop mechanical equipment shall be screened by parapets, upper
stories, or other areas of exterior walls or roofs so as to not be visible from
public streets adjacent to or within 1,000 feet of the subject property, or at
least equal to the height of the equipment to be screened, whichever is less.
Fences or similar rooftop screening devices may not be used to meet this
requirement.
2. Any accessories provided, such as railings, benches, trash receptacles
and/or bicycle racks, shall complement the building design and style.
3. Architectural design of all buildings shall comply with the following
additional performance guidelines:
(A) To lend the appearance of multi-tenant occupancy, facades of multi-tenant
buildings shall be varied in depth or parapet height.
(B) Distinct architectural entry identification for individual tenants'
entrances shall be provided for suites exceeding 5,000 square feet of leasable
area.
(C) All out parcel buildings within a proposed development shall be of
architectural character comparable to the primary structure as determined by
the Planning Department.
(D) Walls visible from roadways or public parking areas shall incorporate
changes in building material/color or varying edifice detail such as trellises,
false windows or recessed panels reminiscent of window, door or colonnade
openings, landscaping or storefront every 150 linear feet.
(E) Roof parapets shall be articulated to provide visual diversity. Parapets
shall include articulations or architectural features at least every 150 linear
feet. The minimum height of articulations or features shall be three feet, and
may be provided in height offset or facade projections such as porticoes or
towers.
(F) Articulation of building design shall continue on all facades visible to
the general public.
(G) Building elevation plans shall be subject to review and approval of the
Planning Director, or his/her designee, prior to the issuance of a Building
Permit, to verify compliance with this ordinance. Designs, which are
inconsistent with these performance guidelines, may be denied.
L. Land Use and Plan Review.
The Planning Department shall evaluate all proposed development activities in
the 2nd Avenue Corridor. No development permit, land use permit, or building
permit shall be issued unless the proposed development, land use, building, or
structure is in compliance with this ordinance.?
SECTION 2.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are
hereby repealed.
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia
held on the 28th day of February, 2017; introduced a second time at a regular
meeting of said Council held on the day of , 2017 and
adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote of members of said
Council.
Councilor Allen voting _______
Councilor Baker voting _______
Councilor Barnes voting _______
Councilor Garrett voting _______
Councilor Davis voting _______
Councilor Henderson voting _______
Councilor Huff voting _______
Councilor Pugh voting _______
Councilor Thomas voting _______
Councilor Woodson voting _______
________________________________ ___________________________
Tiny B. Washington Teresa Pike Tomlinson
Clerk of Council Mayor
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