Columbus, Georgia

Subject: (EXCP-1-13-1002) Special Exception Use request to operate Auto/Truck sales on

less than 2 acres located at 1403, 1411, 1421, 1433 Manchester Expressway and

4515 Hamilton Road.

Tracy Billings has submitted an application for the Special Exception Use cited

above. The property is located in a GC (General Commercial) zoning district.

The site for the proposed dealership is approximately 1.359 acres. The

applicant has submitted a site plan, which is attached. The purpose of the

Special Exception Use is to allow for the operation of an auto sales dealership

on less than 2 acres:

1. Access. - Is or will the type of street providing access to the use be adequate to serve the proposed special exception use?
   Access to the site is adequate. There are three main roads providing access to
   
   the site and are as follows: Manchester Expressway is classified as a 6 lanes
   
   Expressway/Freeway, Veterans Parkway is classified as an Arterial/Expressway
   
   and Hamilton Road is classified as an Arterial Road. Manchester Expressway and
   
   Veterans Parkway are between 4 and 6 lanes roads (divided) at this point.
   
   Hamilton Road is a two lane road (undivided).
2. Traffic and Pedestrian Safety. - Is or will access into and out of the property be adequate to provide for traffic and pedestrian safety, the anticipated volume of traffic flow, and access by emergency vehicles?
   The site allows ingress/egress to three different roads Manchester Expressway,
   
   Veterans Parkway and Hamilton Road, which should maintain adequate flow of
   
   traffic to and from the subject property.
3. Adequacy of Public Facilities. - Are or will public facilities such as schools, water or sewer utilities, and police or fire protection be adequate to serve the special exception use?
   Services such as water, sewer, utilities, police, and fire protection will be
   
   adequate and serve the proposed use at this location. Furthermore, there will
   
   be no impact on neighboring schools in the immediate area.
4. Protection from Adverse Affects. - Are or will refuse, service, parking and loading areas on the property be located or screened to protect other properties in the area from such adverse effects as noise, light, glare or odor?
   Off-street parking will be utilized on-site. No buffer requirement exists for
   
   GC property abutting GC property. The site shall meet the street buffer
   
   requirement addressed in section 4.5.8 of the UDO as well as the TDU
   
   requirement addressed in chapter 4, article 6 of the UDO. External
   
   dumpsters/compactors and lighting are addressed in the UDO. Noise impacts are
   
   addressed in the City Code.
5. Hours of Operation. - Will the hours and manner of operation of the special exception use have no adverse effects on other properties in the area?
   The hours of operation for this use will not have an adverse impact on the
   
   neighboring properties in the area.
6. Compatibility. - Will the height, size or location of the buildings or structures on the property be compatible with the height, size, character or location of buildings or other structures on neighboring properties?
   The height, size and location of the proposed structure will be compatible with
   
   other structures on neighboring properties.

Council District: District 8 (McDaniel)



Twenty Three (23) property owners within 300 feet of the property have been

notified by mail of the proposed Special Exception Use. To date, the Planning

Department has received one comment in opposition to this case. His main

objection is the proposed tree planting shown on the alley located north of the

subject property. The applicant is aware of the situation and that the tree

plantings were incorrectly shown on the alley.



Additional Information: The previous use at this location was a car

dealership. There is no change in traffic patterns from the current use to the

proposed use; therefore, it is not anticipated that this proposed use will have

impact on traffic. Also, the applicant combined all the lots into one

individual lot.



There are two conditions being proposed under this rezoning request: 1)

Increase the maximum lot coverage percentage for for-sale vehicles from fifty

(50) percent to sixty two (62) percent. 2) Billboards shall not be allowed in

this property. The applicant is requesting to increase the maximum percentage

of for-sale vehicles due that the area for the display of vehicles is not large

enough after meeting the tree planting and street buffer requirements. The

rectangular shape of the lot requires street buffers on three of four sides

plus meeting the minimum TDU?s requirement for the site.



The Planning Advisory Commission recommended conditional approval at the

February 20, 2013 meeting.



The Planning Department recommends that the Council conditionally approves the

use because the application for a Special Exception use meets the criteria for

approval.

• CSP-01 - US Auto Sales - 01-30-13 FINAL.pdf
• Land Use Map.pdf

EXCP-1-13-1002

• CSP-01 - US Auto Sales - 01-30-13 FINAL.pdf 
• Land Use Map.pdf