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


Staff Report
REZN 12-10-5753

Applicant
Woodruff Company
Owner
Alton Duncan, Jeannie Pierson, and Estate of Lawrence W. McLemore
Location
6895, 6285, 6279 and part of 6261 Psalmond Road
Acreage
23 acres
Current Zoning Classification
RE1 (Residential Estate 1)
Proposed Zoning Classification
PUD (Planned Unit Development)
Council District
District 6 (Allen)
PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
Approval based upon the fact that it is consistent with the future land use

map of the Comprehensive Plan and compatible with existing land-uses. The

Planning Advisory Commission approved the recommended Major Amendments, which

are attached.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Conditional Approval based upon the fact that it is consistent with the future

land use map of the Comprehensive Plan and compatible with existing land-uses.

The Planning Department concurs with the Major Amendments recommendation of the

Planning Advisory Commission. Furthermore, the Planning Department?s

recommends a condition, which is: the three single family residential lots

fronting Psalmond Road (see attached site plan) shall not be permitted to have

curb cuts or direct access to Psalmond Road.

Fort Benning's Recommendation
None.
DRI Recommendation
None.
General Land use
Planning Area B

Land Use Designation: Single Family Residential and Neighborhood Commercial
Environmental Impacts
The developer will need an approved drainage plan prior to issuance of a Site

Development permit.
City Services
Property is served by all city services.
Traffic Impact
The proposed development is not expected to have a negative impact on the

transportation network. In terms of access to the development in accordance

with the US Highway 80 Overlay the site plan indicates a right in and right out

access for the commercial component of the development. Primary ingress/egress

to the residentail portion of the development is via Psalmond Road.

Furthermore, to prevent additional curb cuts on Psalmond Road, staff has

conditioned that three lots fronting the collector road only have internal

ingress and egress by alley within the development.
Surrounding Zoning
North ? NC (Neighborhood Commercial) / RE1 (Residential Estate 1) / SFR3

(Single Family Residential 3)

South ?RE1 (Residential Estate 1)

East ? RE1 (Residential Estate 1)

West ? SFR2 (Single Family Residential 2)
Reasonableness of Request
The proposed zoning classification is compatible with existing land uses.
School Impact
Elementary age students would attend Matthews Elementary School (PK-5), which

has 494 students (capacity: 575). Middle School age students would attend

Midland Middle School (6-8), which has 766 students (capacity: 875). High

school age students would attend Shaw High School, which has 1,180students

(capacity: 1,350).
Buffer Requirements
The proposed development shall meet the

buffer requirements for Master Planned

Developments as defined in the UDO.
Attitude of Property Owners
Twenty-eight (28) property owners within 300 feet were notified of the rezoning

request. The Planning Department has received two inquiries. Attached is a

petition dated March 2010 containing 30 signatures in opposition to the

rezoning request. Residents who signed the petition live in various locations

throughout the Beaver Run Road/US Highway 80 area.
Additional Information
The applicant is proposing a Traditional Neighborhood Development under the

Planned Unit Development criteria outlined in the Unified Development

Ordinance. Seventy-five single-family residential lots are proposed in the

development with a minimum lot size of 6,000 square-feet. Furthermore, the

applicant is proposing 3-acre community commercial site at the corner of US

Highway 80 and Psalmond Road that would be limited to neighborhood commercial

uses in addition to the PUD. Attached are a series of major amendments the

applicant is requesting for the development in order to accommodate for

amenities in the development.



Major Amendments (see attached).There are a total of 9 major amendments, mainly

dealing with buffer reductions and street design. Two of the requested

amendments are buffer reductions related to neighboring future land uses. A

request has been made to reduce the required side buffer from 50 feet to 25

feet abutting non-residential future land use because proposed single family

residential lots will need to be compact to accommodate a trail leading to the

community commercial site. Furthermore, a reduction in buffer will allow alley

access to the single family residential permitting the front of the lots to

have a traditional neighborhood development facade. Where the southern side of

the subject property abuts future residential land use the applicant is

requesting to reduce the buffer from 100 feet to 25 feet to include plantings

in addition to an 8-foot wooden fence to serve as buffer to neighboring

residents.



The Planned Unit Development criteria will permit a community commercial site

in this subject development. As indicated in the major amendments there is a

request to reduce the front buffer of the 3-acre community commercial site

fronting Beaver Run from 50 feet to 25 feet. Approval of the request will allow

the development to include a community commercial site that can be visible from

Beaver Run will providing a strip aesthetically pleasing buffer.



Planned Unit Developments are required to have 50% open space, the proposed

development will have over 80% open space as a trade off in exchange for the

requested amendments. Furthermore, in exchange for the approval of the major

amendments the developer will incorporate walking trails in the development and

an unfenced Wet Detention Basin that will complement a park. Considering open

space in a PUD, some of the possible open space possibilities are passive

parks, conservation areas, and floodplain/water control/drainage management.

The proposed reduced buffers allow the developer to be flexible with the open

space requirements, building set backs and density which allows for a compact

traditional neighborhood development.
Attachments

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