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 12-10-5753
Applicant: Woodruff Company
Owner: Alton Duncan, Jeannie Pierson, and Estate of Lawrence W. McLemore
Location 6895, 6285, 6279 and part of 6261 Psalmond Road
Acreage: 23 acres
Current Zoning Classification: RE1 (Residential Estate 1)
Proposed Zoning Classification: PUD (Planned Unit Development)
Current Use of Property: Undeveloped
Proposed Use of Property: Single Family Residential and Community Commercial Center
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 approved
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
Major Amendments recommendation of the Planning Advisory Commission.
Furthermore, the Planning Department?s recommends a condition, which is: the
three single family residential lots fronting Psalmond Road (see attached site
plan) shall not be permitted to have curb cuts or direct access to Psalmond
Road.
Fort Benning's Rcommendation: None.
DRI Rcommendation: None.
General Land Use: Planning Area B
Land Use Designation: Single Family Residential and Neighborhood Commercial
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. In terms of access to the development in accordance
with the US Highway 80 Overlay the site plan indicates a right in and right out
access for the commercial component of the development. Primary ingress/egress
to the residentail portion of the development is via Psalmond Road.
Furthermore, to prevent additional curb cuts on Psalmond Road, staff has
conditioned that three lots fronting the collector road only have internal
ingress and egress by alley within the development.
Surrounding Zoning: North ? NC (Neighborhood Commercial) / RE1 (Residential Estate 1) /
SFR3 (Single Family Residential 3)
South ?RE1 (Residential Estate 1)
East ? RE1 (Residential Estate 1)
West ? SFR2 (Single Family Residential 2)
Reasonableness of Request The proposed zoning classification is compatible with
existing land uses.
School Impact Elementary age students would attend Matthews Elementary School (PK-5),
which has 494 students (capacity: 575). Middle School age students would
attend Midland Middle School (6-8), which has 766 students (capacity: 875).
High school age students would attend Shaw High School, which has 1,180students
(capacity: 1,350).
Buffer Requiremnts
The proposed development shall meet the
buffer requirements for Master Planned
Developments as defined in the UDO.
Attitude of Property Owners: Twenty-eight (28) property owners within 300 feet were
notified of the rezoning request. The Planning Department has received two
inquiries. Attached is a petition dated March 2010 containing 30 signatures in
opposition to the rezoning request. Residents who signed the petition live in
various locations throughout the Beaver Run Road/US Highway 80 area.
Additional Information: The applicant is proposing a Traditional Neighborhood Development
under the Planned Unit Development criteria outlined in the Unified Development
Ordinance. Seventy-five single-family residential lots are proposed in the
development with a minimum lot size of 6,000 square-feet. Furthermore, the
applicant is proposing 3-acre community commercial site at the corner of US
Highway 80 and Psalmond Road that would be limited to neighborhood commercial
uses in addition to the PUD. Attached are a series of major amendments the
applicant is requesting for the development in order to accommodate for
amenities in the development.
Major Amendments (see attached).There are a total of 9 major amendments, mainly
dealing with buffer reductions and street design. Two of the requested
amendments are buffer reductions related to neighboring future land uses. A
request has been made to reduce the required side buffer from 50 feet to 25
feet abutting non-residential future land use because proposed single family
residential lots will need to be compact to accommodate a trail leading to the
community commercial site. Furthermore, a reduction in buffer will allow alley
access to the single family residential permitting the front of the lots to
have a traditional neighborhood development facade. Where the southern side of
the subject property abuts future residential land use the applicant is
requesting to reduce the buffer from 100 feet to 25 feet to include plantings
in addition to an 8-foot wooden fence to serve as buffer to neighboring
residents.
The Planned Unit Development criteria will permit a community commercial site
in this subject development. As indicated in the major amendments there is a
request to reduce the front buffer of the 3-acre community commercial site
fronting Beaver Run from 50 feet to 25 feet. Approval of the request will allow
the development to include a community commercial site that can be visible from
Beaver Run will providing a strip aesthetically pleasing buffer.
Planned Unit Developments are required to have 50% open space, the proposed
development will have over 80% open space as a trade off in exchange for the
requested amendments. Furthermore, in exchange for the approval of the major
amendments the developer will incorporate walking trails in the development and
an unfenced Wet Detention Basin that will complement a park. Considering open
space in a PUD, 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 the open
space requirements, building set backs and density which allows for a compact
traditional neighborhood development.
Attachments:
Attachments