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


4/20/2011
Honorable Mayor and Councilors
City Manager
City Attorney
Clerk of Council

Subject: Subject: (EXCP 2-11-1278) Special Exception Use request for a place of worship

on less than two acres located at 1726 Boxwood Place.

Mr. Jim Hilt has submitted an application for the Special Exception Use cited

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

The purpose of the Special Exception Use is for 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?
    The proposed place of worship will utilize the existing access to Boxwood

    Place, which has two outlets, Midtown Loop and Boxwood Boulevard. A traffic

    analysis has determined that the proposed development will not have an adverse

    affect on the street providing access to the subject property.
  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?
    Access to the subject property is adequate for the proposed use in a manner

    that will not disrupt the traffic flow on Boxwood Place. The proposed use will

    not affect pedestrian safety or access by emergency vehicles. Furthermore, the

    aerial indicates one ingress/egress point, which will 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?
    Public facilities such as water, sewer utilities, and police and fire

    protection will be adequate to server the proposed place of worship. Public

    schools will not be affected by the proposed use of the subject property as a

    place of worship.
  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.

    The applicant has submitted documentation of a shared parking agreement with a

    neighboring property owner located at 1730 Boxwood Place.
  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 place of worship will host services on the subject property at 11am on

    Sundays. There will be Bible Study on Sunday evenings. Furthermore, there will

    be a midweek worship on Wednesdays at 7pm. The hours of operation for the

    proposed 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?
    There is an existing 8,400 square feet structure that is compatible with the

    existing structures in the immediate vicinity.



    The proposed use is required to have a minimum of 33 parking spaces that can be

    provided by the use of onsite and adjacent parking.

Council District: District 1 (Barnes)



Twelve (12) property owners within 300 feet of the property were notified by

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

has not received any comments in opposition to the request.



The Planning Advisory Commission recommended approval at the March 16, 2011

meeting.



The Planning Department recommends that the Council approve the use because the

application for a Special Exception Use meets the criteria for approval.



Respectfully,

Rick Jones, AICP
Director, Planning Department


Enclosure / Attachment

cc: Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity


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