Columbus, Georgia

Georgia's First Consolidated Government

Post Office Box 1340
Columbus, Georgia, 31902-1340
(706) 653-4013
fax (706) 653-4016

Website: www.columbusga.gov/planning


11/16/2010
Honorable Mayor and Councilors
City Manager
City Attorney
Clerk of Council

Subject: Subject: (EXCP 8-10-4843) Special Exception Use request for a place of worship

on less than 2 acres located at 2719 47th Street.

The Full Gospel Church has submitted an application for the Special Exception

Use cited above. The property is located in an SFR3 (Single Family Residential

3) zoning district. The purpose of the Special Exception Use is to permit a

place of worship on less than two acres:

  1. Access. - Is or will the type of street providing access to the use be adequate to serve the proposed special exception use?
    47th street is classified as a collector road with two lanes that will provide

    adequate access for the proposed use.
  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?
    Traffic Engineering has determined that access to the subject property is

    adequate for the proposed use. Furthermore, the site plan indicates two

    ingress/egress points that will be accommodating to the proposed use.
  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?
    All Public facilities are adequate for this use. The proposed use will have

    access to all city services.
  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?
    The proposed use is not expected to adversely affect neighboring properties.

    Issues dealing with parking, loading, external dumpsters / compactors, and

    light 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 other

    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 place of worship at the aforementioned address is classified as a legal

    non-conforming use. This classification has been determined due to the fact

    that the existing use does not meet two-acre minimum requirement. Per the UDO,

    a legal non-conforming use cannot expand nor rebuild unless brought into

    compliance under the appropriate ordinances.

    The applicant is proposing to demolish three existing structures on

    site; they will be replaced with a 3000 square-foot sanctuary and improved

    parking area.

Council District: District 8 (McDaniel)



Forty (40) property owners within 300 feet of the property were notified by

letter of the proposed Special Exception Use. To date, the Planning Department

has not received any comments in favor nor opposed to the Special Exception Use

request.



The Planning Advisory Commission recommended approval at the September 15, 2010

meeting.



The Planning Department recommends that the Council approve the Special

Exception Use request.





Respectfully,

Rick Jones, AICP
Director, Planning Department


Enclosure / Attachment

cc: Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity


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