AN ORDINANCE
NO.
An ordinance amending the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) for Columbus,
Georgia so as to establish the Victory Drive Overlay District; and for other
purposes.
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THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1.
The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) is hereby amended by adding a
new Section 2.5.21 to read as follows:
?Section 2.5.21 Victory Drive Overlay District Ordinance.
Highway 27 (4th Street-Victory Drive) (from the Chattahoochee River, east to
I-185), South Lumpkin Road, and Fort Benning Road (south of Victory Drive,
north of Fort Benning)
A. Purpose and Intent.
The purposes of this section are to:
1. Promote and facilitate redevelopment and community improvement activities
that foster long-term economic growth and enhance the quality of life in
Columbus South.
2. Improve and enhance the aesthetic qualities of development within the
arterial road corridors of Victory Drive, South Lumpkin Road, and the South end
of Fort Benning Road through the implementation of land use regulations, and
within which amenity features are encouraged.
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, on the date of adoption of this ordinance, which are
located wholly or partially within the following:
1. 250 feet of the right-of-way of US Highway 27 (from the Chattahoochee River,
east to I-185), with a 250-foot depth at each intersection;
2. 250 feet of the right of way of South Lumpkin Road, with a 250-foot depth at
each intersection except Victory Drive, and;
3. 250 feet of the right of way of Fort Benning Road (south of Victory Drive,
north of Fort Benning) with a 250-foot depth at each intersection except
Victory Drive; 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 250 feet from the intersection to which it
pertains, in both directions along the road rights-of-way. The focus area
includes approximately six (6) acres at each quadrant and can be larger or
smaller by mutual agreement of the City and other interested parties.
C.. Applicability.
1. This Ordinance shall apply to all properties lying wholly or partially
within the Victory Drive / South Lumpkin Road / Fort Benning Road (south)
corridors 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 a 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
properties along an arterial road shall not be allowed if designed so that each
property has its own individual access to the major road unless approved by the
Director of Engineering. Each pod of development, or if subdivided, each lot
(including out parcels), shall be connected with on-site access to a frontage
road or interconnecting driveway, rather than directly to the arterial road.
(B) Private Roadway/Driveways. All private access to US Highway 27 (from the
Chattahoochee River, east to I-185), South Lumpkin Road, and Fort Benning Road
(from Victory Drive, east to Fort Benning) shall be right-in/right-out and at
intervals no closer than 300 feet as measured from the center-of-access to
center-of-access roadway/driveways. Two-way access may be allowed at existing
median breaks or at new median breaks at intervals of 1,320 feet only with the
approval of the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Director of
Engineering for the Columbus Consolidated Government.
(C) Interparcel Access. All properties, excluding single-family residential,
fronting the Corridor right-of-way that are subdivided either into multiple,
smaller parcels or outparcels to a larger development shall, upon determination
by the City Engineer, provide for interparcel access so that short trips
between developments can be made without use of the major road within the
corridor.
(D) Medians. Private roads and entrances to developments connecting with the
arterial road in the Corridor or serving development in a Focus Area shall
include center medians. Such roadway designs will be based upon projected
traffic volume and the number of parking spaces. Medians are desired because
they improve traffic safety and can be planted to enhance the overall
appearance of the Focus Area, as well as provide refuge for pedestrians.
(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. Where
medians are required, pedestrian access shall be provided across the median as
approved by the Director of Engineering.
2. Utility Location. All new utility lines serving a new development or 100
percent redevelopment constructed after the effective date of this ordinance,
are required to be underground.
3. Landscaping Requirements.
(A) General. All developments shall be landscaped, screened, and buffered in
accordance with Section 4 Article 6 of the Unified Development Ordinance except
fifteen (15) Tree Density Units per acre for all non-residential developments
shall be required.
(B) A minimum ten-foot wide landscaped strip adjacent to all road rights-of-way
in non?residential developments shall be provided. Parking, merchandise
displays, and off-street loading are prohibited in the landscaped strip.
(C) A minimum ten-foot wide landscaped strip shall be provided between primary
developments and its adjacent out parcels in accordance with Chapter 4 of the
Unified Development Ordinance.
(D) A minimum of one (1) large-maturing tree per fifty (50) linear feet of
frontage shall be planted in the area adjacent to and along the right-of-way.
Clustering of trees may be permitted.
(E) Trash areas shall be located at a minimum of 100 feet from any public road
right-of-way.
4. 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, but at a minimum, requirements of Section 2.5.21.E.4(C) must be
met. If parking is located in the side or rear yards, any screening may be
clustered and need not cover 100% of frontage.
(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 the at least one of the
following requirements:
(1)
Gross Square Feet Maximum % of Parking Spaces Allowed in Front of Buildings
< 7,500 20%
7,501 to 25,000 30%
25,001 to 50,000 40%
50,000 > 50%
(2) When parking areas are provided in a front yard (in between a public road
right-of? way and a principle 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.
(D) Auto/Truck Sales shall be excluded from the requirements of this section.
5. Signage.
(A) Directional Signs. Bench, inflatable, banner, and portable signs shall not
be permitted in the corridor. To help advertise and direct the motoring public
to businesses and activities in Focus Areas that do not directly access the
arterial road, or are screened from view, development applicants may provide
and seek approval by the City for off-premise joint-use ?logo? directional
signs. These may be located at the entrance to the focus area, and shall be no
more than sixty-four (64) square feet in size and height of eight (8) feet.
Subject to the City?s approval, directional logo signs may be placed at corners
of intersections or along appropriate portions of the corridor, immediately
outside public rights-of-way, to guide customers and patrons from the arterial
road and along public frontage roads to their destinations.
(B) On Premise Signs. 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 be in
compliance with Chapter 4 of the Unified Development Ordinance.
F. Building Placement, Height And Intensity.
1. Building Height. Buildings located along the South Lumpkin Road corridor
that are abutting a residential zoned area shall not exceed the permitted
height as dictated by the requirements of the adjoining residentially zoned
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. Wood is acceptable when used in combination with other
approved materials. 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 side or 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.
Pump islands shall only house gas pumps, windshield-cleaning materials, and
trash receptacles. All support columns shall be brick, brick veneer, or stone
construction. Buildings located at establishments selling gasoline shall comply
with Chapter 2 of the Unified Development Ordinance. 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) 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.
(D) Areas for the storage and sale of all other merchandise shall be
permanently defined and screened with walls or fences, but shall not be located
in parking lots. If such areas are to be covered, then the covering shall
conform to the colors on the building.
(E) 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.
2. Auto/Truck Sales shall be excluded from the requirements of this section.
J. Stormwater Detention Facilities.
Open storm drainage and detention areas visible from the corridor should be
landscaped and incorporated into the design of the development as an attractive
amenity. Wet-bottom basins are encouraged.
K. Architecture.
The following requirements shall apply to all properties except single-family
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 and metal or alternate material may be used subject to review
and approval of the Planning Director.
(B) Portable buildings and storage containers are only allowed when they are
not visible from the main corridor.
(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)
(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
subject corridors to the subject property, 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 in excess of 10,000 square feet of
floor space or 100 linear feet in road frontage fa?ade shall comply with the
following additional performance guidelines:
(A) Distinct architectural entry identification for individual tenants'
entrances shall be provided for buildings exceeding 10,000 square feet of
leasable area.
(B) All out parcel buildings within a proposed development shall be of a
architectural character comparable to the primary structure as determined by
the Planning Department.
(C) 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.
(D) Roof parapets shall be articulated to provide visual diversity. Parapets
shall include articulations or architectural features at least every 100 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.
(E) Articulation of building design shall continue on all facades visible to
the general public.
(F) 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. Designs, which are inconsistent with these performance guidelines, may
be denied.
L. Land Use And Plan Review.
The Planning Director shall evaluate all proposed development activities to
insure compliance with this Overlay District Ordinance with the same
Administrative Authority as directed under Chapter 12 of the UDO.?
SECTION 2.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance
are hereby repealed.
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Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia
held on the 8th day of September, 2009; introduced a second time at a regular
meeting of said Council held on the ____ day of __________, 2009 and adopted
at said meeting by the affirmative vote of ____ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting _______
Councilor Anthony voting _______
Councilor Baker voting _______
Councilor Barnes voting _______
Councilor Davis voting _______
Councilor Henderson voting ______
Councilor Hunter voting _______
Councilor McDaniel voting _______
Councilor Pugh voting _______
Councilor Woodson voting ________
___________________________________ ________________________________
Tiny B. Washington,
Clerk Jim Wetherington,
Mayor
Attachments
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