Columbus, Georgia

Subject: (EXCP 2-11-1281) Special Exception Use request to permit an ambulance service

in a Neighborhood Commercial Zone located at 3623 Calvin Drive.

Mr. George Mize has submitted an application for the Special Exception Use

cited above. The property is located in a NC (Neighborhood Commercial) zoning

district. The purpose of the Special Exception Use is to permit an ambulance

service in a Neighborhood Commercial Zone:

1. Access. - Is or will the type of street providing access to the use be adequate to serve the proposed special exception use?
   Calvin Drive is classified as a collector road with two lanes that will provide
   
   access for the proposed use. The existing access will have to be improved and
   
   brought up to current standards set forth in the Unified Development Ordinance
   
   for commercial driveway access.
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 proposed use will not affect pedestrian safety or access by emergency
   
   vehicles. Furthermore, the site plan indicates one ingress/egress point, which
   
   will maintain adequate flow of traffic to and from the subject property. The
   
   existing parking area in the front and rear of the site will serve the proposed
   
   use in order to maintain off-street parking requirements.
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?
   Public facilities such as water, sewer utilities, and police and fire
   
   protection will be adequate to serve the proposed use. Public schools will not
   
   be affected by the proposed use of the subject property.
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 applicant has proposed to address buffering the proposed use from adjacent
   
   property owners. As indicated in the site plan, an 8-foot wooden privacy fence
   
   accompanied by a substantial number of bushes and shrubs would be planted along
   
   the northern property line bordering SFR3 (Single Family Residential 3) zoning.
   
   Furthermore, at maturity the proposed plantings may range from 8 feet to 25
   
   feet in height and 8 feet to 10 feet in width. Issues 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 will be 24 hours with a shift change at 9 AM. There
   
   will be a maximum of 8 employees on site between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM
   
   handling administrative duties. After 6 PM, there will be 3 employees on
   
   site. There will be two ambulances operating out of this location. There will
   
   be some dispatching at this location. The applicant has indicated that at no
   
   time will lights or sirens be used while exiting this location.
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 existing structure will not be altered to
   
   accommodate the proposed use. Furthermore, the existing structure is compatible
   
   with other structures on neighboring properties in the immediate area.

Council District: District 8 (McDaniel)



Twenty-six (26) property owners within 300 feet of the property were notified

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

has three comments in opposition to the request.



The Planning Advisory Commission recommended conditional approval at the March

16, 2011 meeting.



The recommended conditions are as follows:

1.There shall be no lights and siren until the ambulance reaches Warm Springs

Road.

2.There shall be no north turn (left turn) out of the driveway by any ambulance

exiting the subject property unless there is a call to the neighborhood.



The Planning Department recommends that the Council conditionally approve the

use with the following condition: There shall be a buffer of a minimum 8 foot

in width provided along the property lines bordered by residential zoned

property.

• Maps.pdf

cc: Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity

• Maps.pdf