Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call the call to order the March 5th, 2026 planning commission meeting uh to order. Please stand [clears throat] for the invitation by Mr. Russell Wilder and the pledge of allegiance by Jamie Lester.

Y'all would bow with us. Dear, we want to thank you for another beautiful day today. I want to thank you for the many blessings you bestow [clears throat] upon this community, on this state of ours, and this this country of ours. We have the right to to have meetings and guide our own futures. Uh we ask that you keep us all civil this evening and and stay focused on what what's important here. Uh we ask you look out our first responders, our law enforcement, the EMS, and the fire and rescue that protect us day and night, every day. We ask that you give everyone that took the time out of the week to come join us this evening a safe ride home from this meeting. All these things in Jesus name we ask. Amen. Amen.

I pledge [snorts] allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [clears throat] We do have a full quorum this evening. Gentlemen, you've uh looked over the minutes from the previous meeting. I need approval. Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. Second.

I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, uh, raise your right hand. Motion carries. I need approval of the agenda for this evening. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a motion that we move item H1B8 to the first public hearing when we get the public suit hearing and then approve the agenda as amended. Second. I have a motion on the floor and a second. Uh, all those in favor raise your right hand. Motion carries. [snorts] Just pull them a little closer.

Okay. Apologize. [clears throat] Before we begin, I'd like to take a moment to clarify that the planning commission is a recommending body to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners. The decisions made on reszoning and variance requests tonight will be forward to the commissioners for final action on March 17, 2026. If you wish to address the board of commissioners at their meeting, please see Miss Mixon to obtain a request to speak form. Any request with a public hearing will have a minimum of 10 minutes permitted per side for presentations of opinions, data, and evidence by proponents or opponents of a request. The applicant will be allowed to speak first, and any member of the public may speak after. Either side may seed their time during the hearing if they so desire. [snorts] Getting into the debate agenda this evening, we have new business. We have a preliminary plat H1A1 Nullwood. Danielle?

Yes, sir. This is a preliminary plat for the Nullwood subdivision off Washington Road. This property is zoned planned unit development as part of Riverwood West uh and is located on kind of the south side of Washington Road and the east side of Clanton Road. The preliminary plat includes 189 single family lots with a minimum lot size of 6,444 square feet and an average lot size of 9,257 square feet which meets the requirements of the PUD. The plat shows minimum setbacks of 25 ft from the ride ofway, 7 and 1/2 ft from the side property lines, and 10 feet from the rear property lines. Sidewalks and street trees will be provided on both sides of the road and 44.35 acres of open spaces provided in this section. Uh several of the lots are impacted by Clanton Road. Um Clanton Road, if anyone's familiar with it, is currently a dirt road um that is not within the rightway [clears throat] shown um on the plat. Uh there is a project in the works to realign and pave Clayton Clanton Road to be within the rightway. Um the plat shows that the lots that are impacted by the current road um will not be final platted [clears throat] until that realignment is complete and there will be no grading within 50 ft of the road to maintain the buffer. until that happens. And staff is recommending approval.

Thank you, Danielle. This is a preliminary plat. I need a motion. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to approve the preliminary plat for Norwood off Washington Road. [clears throat] Second. I have a motion on the floor and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. Getting into the public hearing portion H1B8. That is RZ26-3-06 the reszoning of R2 to C2 commercial and that is will sheriff's request for reszoning. Anyway, this request for resoning at 81 8101 8102 8104 Sad Drive.

All right. [clears throat] Can you hear me now? All right. Good.

Okay. This request for a reszoning 8101 8102 and 8104 sir Galahad Drive about 3.77 acres currently zon R2 uh requested to resone to C2 general commercial for post commercial development. The applicant has requested to withdraw this request without prejudice. Uh so we are recommending they do that. We're going to go through the public hearing or the the presentation very quickly because again recommending that that you do you do accept that request to withdraw. Shows location of the property again the intersection of Sir Galahad and Washington Road. Those three parcels that are highlighted there in red currently zoned R2 and again C2 to the north and also kind of west side there and then south is more R2 and to the west is C1 and C2 or to the east excuse me C1 and C2 again a view is the three properties and the site itself and the plat of the properties and the overall concept plan. So again the idea there was to connect to circle drive with this remaining development over here and [snorts] the overall uh building elevations that were that were proposed for the development again C2 development and then again with the we we're recommending that you accept the request withdrawal without prejudice by the applicant that includes staff recommendation. Thank you, Will. With the owners Barbara Newbie, Columbia County Chamber Holdings, Ronald Watts, executive of Estate, Mary G. Wells, or applicant, Intrepid Acquisitions LLC would like to come forward and add anything to the narrative. Do I have any other member here that would like to uh add any comments? Any opposition tonight for the this I'm sorry, Will. They're they they're

having trouble hearing. So, they're they're requesting to withdraw without prejudice. That means they're getting rid of the resoning. Uh they're being asked to basically take it away. Uh this will require them to come back. They're taking away the request uh for the moment. Uh they because we want come up come up. Yes. So without prejudice I can bring it back within a month. Uh but again it will have to be reverted and all that. It doesn't you know get to sneak back in or anything.

Come up. Come up. They can answer that question if they would like to. Ju just state your name and address for the record, please. Martin 76 Evans. I'm representing Ryan Martin. I'm represent push push the mic. Make it a light on. Gotcha. So there you go. Thank you. I haven't been in the new new building. It's okay.

Yeah. So Ryan Martin, 706 Helen Court Evans. Uh I I'm here in place of uh Intrepid and uh on behalf of the homeowners that were uh selling to Intrepid. Uh the we had a a meeting with the neighborhood and did not feel like we had support from neighborhood and if we weren't going to get the support from neighborhood, we were not going to attempt any kind of reasoning. So we we're drawing the request. Okay. [applause] Thank you. All right. Thank you. Any questions? We have any questions? Okay. Okay. Gentlemen, can I get Thank you. I appreciate that. [snorts] Gentlemen, [clears throat] can I get a motion?

Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to recommend disapproval of file RZ26-306 reszoning from R2 to C2 at 8101, 8102, and 8104. Serve Galahad Drive. Second. I have a motion on the floor and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries for disapproval. All right. [applause]

Okay. Carrying on. Let's go to H1B1 RZ260301 reszoning from RA to R1 N. So your your disapproval means it will not come up commission. It will not come up for six months. They have six-month period. Correct. But but it will go to the commission for it will have to go to commission for recommendation approval. That's correct. It's it's up to the commission to uh recommending approval. No, the the the request was by the PL by the planning commission was a recommendation for disapproval of the application. The commission, the board of commissioners will still have to take action on that request. That's correct.

Does that mean they could still they could still approve it, disapprove it, or withdraw it? Yep, that's correct. So, how will we know? You can attend the the board of commission meeting. March 17th is the next uh board of commission meeting and that's when that 17th. Yes. Right here in this place at 6:00. Same time, same place. Same time, same place. Has the [clears throat] planning commission approved the

If I can't hear you. If you want to come, if you have anything further to say, come forward to the podium, please, so we can have it for the record. Okay, [clears throat] let's carry on. H1B B1 RZ260301. Nana.

Yes, sir. This is a Can you hear me? Yeah. Um, this is a reszoning. Uh, location is 1422 Old Appling Harlem Highway on 4.03 acres. The current zoning is RA residential agriculture and the request is to R1 single family residential. This is the location and it is um of old Apple hardware that you can see intersection with Appling Harlem Road. This is the zoning map. It's RA zoning same as the surrounding zoning. So the north is R1 single family residential for Hatcher Glenn subdivision. This is the aerial of them of the lot. These are the street views that show the existing house and garage that are um at the end of that lot. And this is the plat of the property. These are the side photographs. You can see the the house that's there and the garage. Um there is a variance application with this which is the next item. So the applicant has requested this resoning because it's 4.03 03 acres right now, which means it cannot be subdivided. The request is for R1 uh zoning, which allows lots to be created at one acre that are not on sewer. So, the applicant has requested to uh do the resoning for R1 to create two more additional lots north of where the house is on the site. The future development map of the county puts this in the medium density residential character area which is for single family and two family homes and this meets that requirement and staff is recommending to approve this with conditions. Uh because the lot creates two frontages on the the two roads on each side um it's class as a

reverse furniture lot. So we creating a we adding a condition to provide a 25- ft no access easement and natural buffer along Appling Harlem Road for the lots shown as G2 and G3 on the prov provided proposed subdivision plan and the natural buffer shall be planted prior to issuing a certificate of of occupancy for any structure on the lots.

Is that all Nina? Uh these are the other condition is from the pre-construction department. Uh because uh Appling Harlem Road is a arterial we do uh require for safety we limit uh driveway accesses on that side. So the existing driveways for track G will remain in the current locations. If they're going to be moved in the future, permits will be required through the pre-construction department. And then for the two new lots, G2 and G3, the drive location will only be available on old old uping Harlem Highway site. Thank you.

Thank you, Nana. Uh the owner of Kyio Bottom LLP and applicant James Lewis Bartlett would like to come forward and speak or add anything to the narrative. I know I don't look like a James. Okay. State your name and address for the record, please. I'm Jacqueline Carowway Annette. Um, I'm at 733 Chamblin Road in Grove Town and I'm one third partner. The other two couldn't be here tonight. Okay.

Just uh if you look at the overall, I guess thoroughare behind that property, you'll see that all of the others that it butts up to are also um R1. And we just thought if it could just come together as, you know, one unit there and have all of them be R1, that would be great. So, any questions? Do you have any issue with the uh with the conditions that staff have recommended? Absolutely. We're good with that. Okay. Okay. You're good. No problem. Good. Very good. Thank you, Ryan. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Thank [clears throat] you.

Uh any other member here tonight would like to speak in favor? Anyone speak uh in opposition? Gentlemen, can I get a motion? Mr. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to recommend approval with conditions of file RZ26-301 reszoning from RA to R1 at 1422 Old App Harlem Highway. Second. I have a motion on the floor and a second for approval. Raise your right hand. Motion carries. Approved. Next item on the public hearing agenda, H1V2 VA26-3-1 variance. And that is Nana.

Yes, sir. [snorts] This is the variance application that goes with the uh previous item for reszoning. Same location 1422 Old Appling Harum Highway 4.23 [clears throat] acres and the variances to section 90-53 lot and structure requirements to reduce the building setbacks for the existing structures. This is the location and the zoning map that we saw before and the aerial. And here on the street views you do see that the existing structures are fairly close to the uh frontages and that's what the variance is for. This is the plat of the property and the site photographs. [snorts] So on on under the RA zoning the setbacks required are 125 ft on the Appling Harlem roadside for Arterial Road. On old Appling Harlem Highway it's 90 ft. And you can see that the the house and the garage are u not meeting those setbacks. The existing structure was built in 1958. So it's most likely that the road layouts and codes have changed since then. And this is the R1 set setbacks which has just been voted on. Um it does make the structures a little less non-conforming because the setbacks are less than RA. So it the required setback is 115 for upling Harlem Road and then 80 ft for Old Up Harlem Highway. And the plat there shows that the house is about n 29.8 ft off the property line and the garage is about 13 ft off the property line there. And this is a map that shows the septic septic system. It's just north of north of the house that's on the on the built on the lot. Uh between the house and the garage, there is a driveway that goes through to the um east and west of the site.

And this is the proposed plat. So the two lots that are created uh uh by the resoning, they will have plenty of buildable space and meet the setbacks. So they don't need the variance there. So this setback, this variance approval is limited to the first uh lot there, G1. Uh my staff is recommending approval for that with a condition that the setback reduction only apply to the two structures shown on G1. Any new construction on lot G2 shall have the minimum front setbacks of 20 ft from the property line on Old Up Harlem Highway and 30 ft from the property line on Upling Harlem Road. Thank you.

Thank you. Nina, do you have anything to add to this narrative? Any opposition to this? Gentlemen, can I get a motion? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to recommend approval with conditional file VA26-301 variance to section 90-53 to reduce the front setbacks for the property at 1422 Old Hap Arum Highway. Second. I have a motion on the floor and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries.

Nick, next item. H1B3 RZ26-3-06. This is the reszoning from R1 to C2. Danielle.

Yes, sir. This is a request for a reasonzoning of uh several properties on Washington Road and off Hardy Mcmanis Road, a total of 3.4 acres, uh currently zoned R1, and requesting to be reszoned to C2 general commercial. This shows the location of the property. kind of in the northwest corner of the intersection of Washington Road and Hardy McManis Road and they are currently zoned R1 single family residential as are most of the surrounding properties. Uh the S1 to the rear of these parcels is an existing fire station and there is a little bit of C2 across Washington Road that is for a um auto repair business that has been in operation for quite some time and was reszoned to bring it into compliance with the the zoning ordinance. Uh this shows the arrow of the properties. There are some existing houses and then the corner property seems to be largely vacant and photo of the existing site [clears throat] and the applicants uh have proposed this concept plan. Um this is non-binding for a C2 development but the current concept includes a Jify Lube uh drive-thru uh restaurant and a sitdown restaurant. Uh the health department has a condition for this type of development. uh they would require sewer access for this project given the proposed uses. Uh that did create some issues. Uh the nearest kind of sewer main on the same side of the road is about a quarter mile down Washington Road. Uh the applicants have not at this time provided a plan for how to get that sewer access to this property. Uh and they have requested to withdraw this application to give them time to work that out. Uh, additionally, from a future development standpoint, um, this property is on a commercial corridor, but it is in a largely residential or undeveloped type stretch of this corridor. Uh, so it is probably not the ideal place to start the next commercial zonings for this corridor. We'd like to see that start closer to existing commercial development, kind of fill in gaps and work our way outward instead of starting in the middle.

But there is, you know, potential there for the future. Uh so staff was recommending disapproval but again the applicants have requested to withdraw this application. [clears throat]

Thank you Danielle. Would the owners of the primary care properties and westside and westside properties of Augusta or the applicant terraform companies would like to come forward and add anything to the narrative? Hi, my name is Jonathan Sevis 3737 Inesse Way um Martinez Georgia. Um I represent the land owners and uh Terraform. I work with Maybomb commercial um here in Augusta. Um yes. So, Terraform is a uh is a developer, their preferred developer for Chiffy Loop. And so, [clears throat] um they've identified the Riverwood area as a place that uh is underserved and uh that they'd like to to to um operate a Jiffy Lube. The the developments around the Riverwood, which we we we work on over there as well, are restricted against automotive uses. Um, and so with with some of the the new developments that have come to that second phase of the of the Riverwood development, um, not only is there not space for more storefronts along Washington Road, but there's there's not a the the public's use restrictions restrict against automotive uses. So, [clears throat] this is the closest intersection to Riverwood that they can find to uh to develop. So, the Riverwood I mean, so the uh the Jiffy Lube is is committed. they uh they want to be there and so they've uh they've designed the site. Um I don't think they'll have much problem filling in the rest of this development with national users. Uh so we've drawn a sit down restaurant and a and a drive-through restaurant that could be like a coffee use or a or like a a a fast food restaurant. Um the sewer line, that is something that the developers were anticipating to install. They've

got a plan for how to do that, but they had not yet engineered a a sewer extension. They are planning to pay for that themselves. There's no cost to the taxpayers, of course. Um, so they've they've um, you know, they they are planning to design that. We we've spoken to the commissioner and we've also worked with the Riverwood neighborhood to discuss this site. And so the Riverwood neighborhood's main feedback was that they want to make sure that any development here meet the the the aesthetic feel of the Riverwood neighborhood. You know, so that was the main feedback that that they had. So, also what we want to do is when we bring this application back is bring you some some either some elevations or some sort of a um guidelines for how the what the what the restrictions would be on this property so that you guys know that the the buildings are going to be built in accordance with the aesthetic feel of Riverwood which is brick and upscale roof and you know things that that meet those uh those criteria. So, they've uh asked to withdraw without prejudice uh to give them uh give them time to design the sewer to sewer extension and to bring you those aesthetic requirements.

Have any questions? Okay. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. Any [clears throat] other member here in the audience would like to speak in favor? Anyone like to speak against in opposition? Can I get a motion? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to recommend disapproval of file RZ260302 reszoning from R1 to C2 at for properties at 4933, 4935, and 4937 Washington Road off Hardy McManus Road. Second.

I have a motion on the floor and a second for disapproval. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion. Motion carries. Three. Against. One. One. Abstension or against? Against. I would like to honor his request to withdraw, but I understand. Four. Uh, it passes 41 disapproval. Uh, next item H1B4 RZ260303 conditional use for massage. Dylan. Yes, sir. As you've said, this is a conditional use [clears throat] for massage request.

Yeah, sorry. Uh, as you said, this is a conditional use for massage request at uh 218 Oak Street North in Martinez. This is the location of the site again off Oak Street North, just south of Washington Road and east of Bobby Jones Expressway. Uh, as you can see, the site is zoned C2 and is surrounded on all sides uh by layers of other C2 commercial uh development. Uh this is an aerial photo of the site showing the multi-tenant structure that is there already developed on the site. Um the applicant is already operating a successful salon from this uh uh structure and they are looking to occupy an additional suite within the structure and looking to expand the services on offer to include massage uh with a private massage room. um they'll be offering these services by appointment only and they have provided a state license for the massage therapists that they're looking to employ at that location. Um they're not proposing any site changes or any you know work on the exterior of the site of the building on site and so it should not adversely impact the surrounding uh dense commercial area. And so, uh, considering all of that as well as, uh, its appropriateness within, uh, the foundations for f for the future future development map, um, staff is recommending approval of this request. Thank you, Dylan. Are the owners of Westtown Office Park LLC or applicant Morgan Fields like to come forward? Any opposition in of this? Any would like anyone like to speak? Okay. No. No speakers. Uh, can I get a motion, gentlemen?

Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to recommend approval of file [clears throat] RZ26-0303, conditional use for massage at 218 Oak Street North. Second. I have [clears throat] a motion on the floor and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. Next item is U RZ260304. And this is RA to M1 and I'm sorry DC

I'm sorry to DC RA and M1 to DC. I'm just having a little trouble here. Um, and that's Will.

Thank you, Sheriff's request for RA and M1, a split zone R and M1. Uh, the DC data center for for proposed data center development. It's off Morris Callaway Road. Uh, we actually saw this parcel back on in January. Uh, we made a mistake though. Uh, sometimes that happens. Uh, we misadvertised this as uh 2G, not 2C. So, we're having to go back and correct our error. That's what we're doing tonight. Shows location of the property. Again, it's accessed off Morris Callaway to the north and I20 uh is is adjacent to it on the south side. As we can see here, everything else around it uh was reszoned to DC. It is kind of sticking out like a sore thumb with it being with it being zone R and M1 currently. Probably to the south is is also zone M1 M1 and RA. Here's location of the property on an aerial and the [clears throat] site itself and the plat of the property. the overall concept plan what we're dealing with is this basically this area here uh again nothing is on this this part of the uh the concept uh but again this is a non-binding concept they could move the buildings around so there is possibility this could have actual you know data centers on it uh so again reszoning this this to DC is makes some sense allows the whole project to be one whole piece and be able to move forward as is uh with that reasoning we had the sound study I'm not going to go into all of that we've already gone through this uh four and also the uh next page our next shows the render the sound study and then also the overall character area again with foundation for the future we have technology industrial as a character area here uh that explicitly has data centers included in it uh so it meets the intent of that uh this this is recommended for approval with conditions uh to the all condition RG260 103 shall apply uh so again those were quite a few we can go into those if we want to but again that is the recommendation uh with this piece of property that includes staff recommendation.

Thank you, Will. The owner, Sandra De's of Applicant Development Authority of Columbia County, and Drew Frederick um TC Green Jacket LLC would like to come forward and speak. Hey, Cheney Eldridge with the Development Authority, 1000 Business Boulevard. Will explained it. This was part of the package that we brought to y'all um few weeks ago, and the rest of it was successfully reszoned to DC. And so we're just asking that now that it's been readvertised if it can go along with the rest of the properties. We have any questions? No. [clears throat] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Any other member here would like to speak in favor? Anyone here would like to come forward and speak against? [clears throat] [snorts] Just state your name and address for the record and you have five minutes.

Good evening. Vin Muller. I live on Pan Road in Appling and we couldn't have a meeting with the data centers without at least one person saying no. Um but primarily I came to get some clarification and a few questions. Um, within 26304, there's a multi-page document titled White Oak Technology Park, a technology focused expansion of the White Oak Business Park. That's this thing that's somewhere in all of Will's paperwork. Um, what is this document that is? So, it is a narrative with the request was on the original. Uh, it's been there from the get-go. Okay.

All right. and uh it's still included simply because it's just piggybacking along for the ride. So with lots of reasonings to just a straight rezoning, you'll have a narrative that's just kind of saying here's what we're planning to do. Here's how we plan to do it. Is it legally binding? I would say no.

Okay. Um and since it's included, I'd like to address a few things that are contradictions it has to itself. Um and comments from elected officials and the conditions in the prior uh summary. Noise is one of them. Both the document and the DC ordinance specify 70 dB while the conditions list 65. I understand the conditions will be the controlling limit. I'm great with that. Traffic the document mentions in one aspect extremely low employment density for data centers in order to claim minimal traffic impact. However, construction will see 2,000 plus workers every day in this area. Um, has there been any traffic study done for the construction phase of this project?

That's right. So, I would No, there has not. So,

it it's we're we're using data to say there's no traffic impact, but that's for when this is all finished sometime in the future. Um, which leads to my next item, the timing of it. The document and others estimate a 15 to 20year buildout uh for this project and for the other data centers that are in the area. And um that's very consistent. But at a recent open house for this very building, the county manager was uh said to have stated that construction would only be about 5 years. There is a big discrepancy between 5 years and 15 to 20 years and that impacts both the traffic congestion that is going to impact the neighbors that live in that area as well as the tax benefits that we have been promised but I haven't quite seen the how that works yet. So clarifying that time frame would be a nice thing for the public. [snorts] uh water. Both the DC ordinance and the document state no private wells will be used which I agree with. That's great. However, recently at the development authority business recruitment meeting, Ben Stapleton discussed the use of geothermal for power andor cooling. Geothermal technology requires drilling and fracking of the ground in order to make it work. So I would like to make sure that um you understand no geothermal should be permitted on these sites because of how it is going to be done. It's a well. Continuing on uh the water issues, Mr. Stapleton also mentioned that the efficiency of cooling towers needs to be uh investigated and I believe there are some tours of cooling tower set up to understand them better and get a better

understanding. Cooling towers and the closed loop systems that we have been promised are incompatible. They're not used together. It's one or the other. And if cooling towers are being looked at, that's when you go back to the 6 and a half million gallon estimate that I was told was the worst case scenario. But we're still looking at cooling towers. So, um, taxes. Also, at the development authority recruitment and incentive meeting, Jim Cox discussed the tax abatements and incentives for current and future projects, as well as set up setting up meetings to develop incentive plans. Contrary, the board of commissioners has repeated over and over again that the data centers will pay the full taxes, the full property taxes levied on those properties. Therefore, no abatements and they have stated no abatements would be offered. So, if no abatements will be offered, why are we setting up meetings to discuss incentive plans for current and future projects? And then lastly within the document, the terms the project and the development are used to assign financial responsibility for power and water infrastructure improvements. Please define what these terms mean, who they apply to, because it sounds like me to it sounds to me that the taxpayers are going to be on the hook for those developments. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. [clears throat] Any other member of the audience would like to speak? in opposition. Gentlemen, can I get a motion? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to recommend approval with condition of file RZ26-304 reszoning from RA and M1 to DC for tax map 019 partial 002C off Mars Callaway Road. Second.

I have a motion on the floor and a second for approval. All those in favor of approval, raise your right hand. Motion carries. Next item we have H1B6 RZ260305. This is uh the reszoning of R3 to C3 commercial. Uh Dylan.

Uh yes sir. As you've said this is an application for reszoning from R3 single family residential to C3 heavy commercial at 249 Settlement Road. This shows the location of the property uh off settlement road on the west side of settlement road. Um as you can see here um Settlement Road is roughly a frontage road for Bobby Jones Expressway. It's a very small narrow uh ride ofway um separated from Bobby Jones Expressway by a row of uh commercial sites. Um here on the zoning slide, uh a little bit of zoning context. Um, the Columbia County Code changed in 2016 to kind of uh migrate several light industrial uses uh from the C2 zoning district into the C3 heavy commercial zoning district. Things like contractor's offices. Um, the root call the applicant for this application is looking to locate his uh electrical contractor's office uh at this location. Um but uh the reason that code change is relevant is many of these C2 uh parcels that are shown here on this slide are actually operating uh light industrial uses that predate that 2016 code change. things like other contractor's offices, um heavy equipment rental facilities or businesses. Um as well as uh you know uh ware office warehouse style developments uh on uh Enterprise Court which is shown kind of on the northwestern corner of this uh slide. Uh zoned planned unit development. Um that street is lined with uh warehouse office warehouse developments for contractor's office similar to the one requested with this uh application. Um this shows an aerial site of the photo. Um as you can see the site is currently vacant. Um adjacent parcels uh some of them are also vacant as well as uh some um existing homes that also to the best uh that we can

tell. Uh some of are also vacant as well. So despite the residential zoning, there are relatively few neighbors for this location, for this parcel specifically. Again, given that a couple of the neighboring residential parcels are completely vacant at the moment, um, also a couple of the zoning examples I pointed to on that last slide, uh, there are industrial uses on this side of Settlement Road that are already operating. You see a couple parcels zoned C3 in the area, including on this side of Settlement Road, that uh parcel uh that Enterprise Court area that is zoned planned unit development. Those are those office warehouse developments. And then immediately south of that planned unit development area, there's that large C2 parcel. That is a uh contractor's office uh that's currently operating with a very large outdoor storage area. Um just kind of giving additional context uh for zoning and uses here in the area that are light industrial similar to what is being requested with this application. Uh this shows again the existing vacant site that is being proposed for development. Um and there are some uh issues that kind of need to be hashed out with the site if the zoning were to be granted. Um there is a companion variance application where we'll discuss the site layout much more specifically. Um this application is largely uh requesting the zoning for the use. We have to determine if the use is appropriate on this lo at on this parcel and in this location which is why I'm discussing the uses on the other parcels in the area. Um beyond that uh this shows again the foundations for the future future development map. Um, a couple of the character areas that are labeled here, really the only two shown on this slide are the regional commercial area and the traditional neighborhood area. Um, as you can see, this parcel is on uh the side of Settlement Road that is in the traditional neighborhood character area. However, Settlement Road serves as the

border between those two character areas. Uh as as you can probably surmise from the titles, a traditional neighborhood typically anticipates residential uses where regional commercial typically anticipates non-residential uses for commercial and light industrial uses. As we've already discussed, there are a plethora of light industrial uses up and down both sides of settlement road. Uh kind of aiding and giving this application a little bit of appropriateness and given its context. Um given all these factors, uh staff is still proposing a condition uh requiring uh you know uh particular materials to finish uh for the architectural finish of the building if it were to be built on this site to that's a condition that's been applied to many of those other parcels that have been reszoned for non-residential use up and down settlement road in an effort to kind of uh provide an elevated uh visual um presentation for those non-residential developments in that area. And so we're proposing that condition again with the aim of [snorts] continuing to kind of build a cohesive aesthetic amongst all the different non-residential uses in that area as well. As long as this condition is met, staff is recommending approval of this re uh of this request.

Thank you, Dylan. Will the owner Henry Lee Lewis or applicant Neil Simon would like to come forward and add anything to the narrative? Do I have any other member here in um in favor or against come forward and state your name and address please for the record? You have five minutes. Yes sir. First of all uh my name is Matthew Banks. Please excuse me. I just came from a cold so my voice is a little horsearo here. Uh secondly, if I'm seem a little bit nervous and start to cuss speaking in front of individuals that today is my wife's birthday, so I got to get out of here real quick. Understood. Understood.

And take her somewhere to celebrate her birthday. Uh as I mentioned, my name is Matthew Banks and I'm 55 years old. And the property that we're speaking of is property I've been familiar with ever since uh I've been a little boy maybe 2 years old when we moved to the area. Uh of course that side of settlement road has been developed for commercial use. That that is true for a number of years. However, my family members live on the back side of that property where everything has been commercially zoned. Uh there have been a lot of things going on commercially over there for a number of years. well over 30 years. Uh some of the issues that we have um unfortunately been challenged with right now when he was speaking of uh and he did a great job explaining everything that have been done over there. So this is nothing in opposition to what you said. Uh the properties that have been uh put over there and wanted them toward the end of Settlement Road. If you go back behind there, there is a containment of water that has been there for years and it's larger than this entire room here. And we have not been able to get that situation resolved because all this water residue that's running from down that area between Settlement Road, this property that our property is adjacent to, there's a pond behind there too, which they have recently purchased as well. So that pond has been somewhat what of a catchment area for a lot of the water that's been held there. But back behind there, there's a creek as well. Okay. So it's a lot of wet lands back there. And that wet land has accumulated also because further up past settlement road uh where he was talking about where uh Enterprise and the Lighting Center, those things of that nature that when they started building there, they d they developed the area and then it just drops off. So it's just

a huge containment of water again. So show us on the map. Can you can just touch that screen? You can indicate and draw on that screen. Mhm. [clears throat] Okay. Here. Well, I don't know if you can see this. Yes, sir. This this here, excuse me, this is the area which my family resides in this area all over here. So, you guys front on Mac road there. Excuse me. Your property's on Mac Road. Are you guys address? I I was on Myar Drive. I'm sorry. Now I can see the map better. Thank you. Yeah, we're all on Myar Drive. Okay.

Okay. So all our property butts up against this property that we're speaking of here. So all of this here is my family's area. Right down here is where there's a huge containment of just water that's about like I said at least more than half size of this room. So like a storm water pond. It's nothing. just water that just because earlier early early on in growing up this property here if it goes all the way down everybody know where Home Depot is at. Okay. Home Depot used to be our

uh Columbia County Fairground. That's where we used to go to Columbia County Fairground there. So being that they built up that area and with all this commercial property here, there's a huge resin of water that's here about the size of this entire room here and it's been there for years. But we can't get that resolved. All along here, [clears throat] there is a creek that goes all the way back up here, and that's what's causing the wetland. And up here is where they built those town homes years ago. This has been about 30 years ago when they built the town homes. So, there's a drop off right up here of water in conjunction with the spring water, in conjunction with the pond, and then in conjunction with that huge reservoir of water that's just sitting there. So that's just one of the issues we've been having for a number of years, but we have not been able to get that taken care of. Now, all of this along Myar Drive, all that is habitable living. Someone is living in just about every one of those houses down through that area. There's only one house in which somebody's not living in, but it is liveable in in in that respect. Uh my dad lives there. He's 85 years old. We just lost my mother two years ago from ALS. she was living there. My aunt Chris, she lives there. I I can name each individual on that street. And so this is not just me coming here speaking for, but this is my entire family and the family of friends who we resided there all our lives. And so we those are just one of the issues and I didn't want to spend too much time to because I I think I just have five minutes and like I said, my wife is at home waiting too. So Okay.

But um but I'm sorry. Yeah, I think you had a question. Yes, sir. Um, so your concern is the development of this lot's just going to only add to the problem. Yes, sir. That's that's that's one of the concerns that we have. Yes, sir. That's correct. Mr. Douglas, isn't part of this process once if it gets approved that storm water has to to get involved and the site design has to include storm water retention?

Yeah. And if you see again, I was going to discuss the uh the concept plan a little bit more with the variance application. There is a spot here shown where there's proposed detention on the uh the site. uh the the concept plan for the site. Um and yes, so storm water kind of takes a preliminary look uh throughout this process and provides comments. Um they did acknowledge that there was uh you know places that they wanted to follow up, but any non-residential site has to submit an engineered plan. And so it will be, you know, a fully engineered plan that then also is fully assessed by our storm water department prior to, you know, build out on the site as well. And that's to trap. Now he's going to have imperial surfaces. It's to trap the water that it's going to collect on his and slowly release it so that it's not a gully wash coming down through there.

Yes. I mean, uh, I am not qualified to talk about storm water theory, but yes, I believe that would be how they would describe it if we asked them. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Dylan. Hopefully that So is one question I got is Mac Road in between your property and this property. [snorts] Um Mac road that kind of seems to split that whole Myiramar Mac road and then settle. That's correct. And the the creek that he's referencing is also indicated on this slide as well by the blue line running through the parcels on the west side of Mac road as well.

Okay. Okay. Yeah. No, it's not directly up against Mac Road. It's it's it's a little further back. Uh they have started to clear out around the pond. They have removed a lot of uh trees and uh a lot of debris there as well. And and back behind that area, it was a wooded area. of course used to well I say used to be a wooded area but uh thanks to hurricane Helen uh it leveled everything back there and there was a there's a lot of large trees down there so that started to

divert a lot of the water elsewhere um so that has been uh one of the main concerns that that we had uh due to the short [clears throat] notice of this not not to anybody's fault um I I just got some word this here recently So, I had to rush here. Uh, a email was sent to the uh the county planning commission in reference this is is giving more of an outlay of the other concerns that were had. So, I just came here just to give a brief voice to the thing that was forwarded earlier.

Okay. Dylan, I got a question. Is there anyone that he can go to to uh to look at the water issue that he has on the other property? Is Yeah. our our our storm water uh and environmental department is uh part of our engineering services division. They are located uh in this building. Um I believe most of their offices are actually on this floor of this building. Um but they're right over here across the uh the lobby. Um and he could come visit them 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. They're pretty sure that's not the retention pond for Home Depot, right? Um no, no, it's not the retention pond. No, no. This is not I mean I'm talking about this wet land, right? No, no, no. It has nothing to do with Home Depot. No, sir. Um

Okay. Um and I wish some of the other people do the short notice, they wasn't able to be here. They would give better clarity to what I'm speaking to in that respect. So, I apologize about that. Yeah. Thank you. Okay. Appreciate it. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Any other member here would like to speak in opposition? [clears throat]

Good evening.

Hey, my name is Margaret Le. That's my cousin. And yes, we have lived on that property for like 60 years. When we were little kids, we would run in the woods and it is a huge stream of water all the way down. And do he might have not mentioned it, but due to Hurricane Helen, a lot of trees did topple over. of course. And you can see the water just sitting up. It's massive water. And the good question that was asked was, is there a good plan in place to help with that water retention? And we want to see it. I want to see it personally. Um, I would love to get more information and we're kind of like late in the game because we didn't know all of this was going on. And so I would love to see a plan in place first. I would love to hear what um this is a C3 heavy commercial and all of the other if I'm hearing right is C2. Is that correct?

Yes ma'am. So if that if that's the case, I'm just trying to learn. I'm trying to understand the C3 level. Is that something massive that we really need to look into as far as them building the building and how is it going to affect that area once that you know and make sure that they look from the top to the bottom as far as that water is concerned because it is a huge deal. M that's all I'm requesting. Anything after that, you know. Okay. Mr. Chairman, let me address that real quick. You know, and again, I think Dylan's going to touch base on this on the this next request with the

the variance, but right now, what they're showing in a conceptual uh layout is a 40x60 warehouse building. There's going to be uh what looks like three or four uh parking spaces um and then a drive lane uh for that. Uh then the remainder of that property would be uh undeveloped. And then again a part of that would be their um detention um plan. So they would have a whether it's a pond or some sort of engineered system to capture the uh imperous uh surface water that or the water that's captured off that imperous surface and then detained and then released at the acceptable rate. Uh and that's what our storm water department would be looking at as part of that review. Again, I think some of the concerns that you've raised and certainly the gentleman before, I think that's a good conversation to have with our storm water management uh group uh because that's a larger issue that whether this zoning happens or not, sounds like it's already happening in in that area. So, uh there may be some things that they can uh begin to look at if they haven't already. Um u but I don't want to speak for them. So, I think it'd probably be a good idea for you guys uh to some at some point reach out to them and and have a meeting with them and kind of get on their radar and then also kind of see what they can do in terms of uh getting some of that picked up, cleaned up and, you know, moving forward.

Great. So, a question for you guys. The email that we got earlier today, is that a good way to contact you? Yes. Yes. All right. Make it happen. So, we have So, we have contact. We'll make it happen. Okay. Good. Perfect. All right. Great. Thank you, Scott. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you, Dylan. Thank you. Any other member would like to speak in the opposition? Can I get a motion, gentlemen? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to recommend approval with condition of file RZ260305 reszoning from R3 to C3 at 249 Settlement Road. A

second. I have a motion on the floor and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. Next item, H1B7 VA260302 a variance. And that is Dylan.

Yes, sir. So, we're looking at the exact same site and we will uh assess the concept plan a little bit more closely now because uh if deemed appropriate, that zoning in that location uh has adjacent residential uses. uh C3 per Columbia County code has uh required 40 foot buffers and 30 foot setbacks uh against residential zoning. Um again this is the location and the surrounding zoning of the you know the subject parcel as well as the surrounding parcels as well uh the vacant site and this is the concept plan again uh shown are the code required uh 40ft structural buffers and 30 foot setbacks. Um as you can see if the uh if deemed appropriate to change the zoning um and you know effectively that would mean that this use is assessed by uh us to be appropriate at this location. However, if the zoning is granted but these variances aren't there's not a functional way to develop the site. The 40ft structural buffers eat the vast majority of the acreage of this site. Um it's a very narrow parcel as we've seen uh on all these slides. uh difficult to develop with those 40 foot uh buffers and 30-foot setbacks. Um so the applicant is requesting to reduce those setbacks from 30 feet down to 20 feet and then reduce reduce the buffers from 40t down to 10 ft. Um again given that most of the adjacent parcels are vacant and uh as best we can tell many of the adjacent homes are at this time abandoned at the very least vacant. Uh there are not many uh neighbors, residential neighbors for this parcel. I get that there we've heard from some neighbors in the surrounding area, but separated by Mac Road and a creek. As far as the adjacent parcels are considered, um most again, most of those parcels are vacant and probably as best

we can tell, many of those homes are vacant as well. Um there still will be 10-ft buffers and there still will be uh 20 foot setbacks. Um something you can take note of here is there is a fire lane shown on this concept plan without these reductions. Uh it is probably impossible to develop uh the site with a fire lane like that. That is a requirement that's uh been discussed. Uh that probably will be a requirement of the engineered site plan. And so it's been shown on this concept plan to kind of illustrate the fact that these reductions really in all honesty if the zoning is granted are necessary to functionally develop the site. Um the applicants are not requesting again uh you know a a very large development on the site. Much of the parcel is going to remain undeveloped kind of back beyond that proposed detention area that's shown on this concept plan. And so they really are just looking to develop the 40x60 structure to house the applicant's electrical contractor's business as well as put in the required fire lane as well as put in the required storm water management systems. Um and so again, given that uh staff is recommending approval of the zoning and the use at this location, it's also reasonable to recommend approval of these variances so that use can be built out on the site and the site can be used functionally. And we think that nobody will be adversely impacted by the development on that site.

Thank you, Dylan. Would the uh owner Henry Lee Lewis or applicant Neil Simon would like to add anything to the narrative? Any opposition to this? Can I get a motion, gentlemen? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to recommend approval of file VA260302 variance to section 9098 and 90139 to reduce side setbacks to 20 ft and the buffers to 10 ft for the property on 249 Settlement Road.

I'll second. I have a motion on the floor and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. Next item, H1B B9 RZ260307, a major plan unit development revision on Autobon Way. Dylan.

Yes, sir. This is a request for a major revision again at 833 [clears throat] Autobond Way. Um it is to allow a pool to de be developed in a rear setback and a wall standing uh taller than the allowed six feet per code in the uh um rear and side setbacks as well. Uh this shows the location of the parcel within the river island development again on Ottbon Way, the east side of Autobon Way. Um again this is the uh plan unit development zoned area again part of the broader River Island development. Uh this is an aerial shot of the uh parcel and we'll have a slide here in a second that will show kind of the grading that we're dealing with that's kind of uh resulted in the necessity for this large wall as well as uh um why the pool has kind of ended up in the rear setback on this parcel. Uh as you can see the house is already being constructed and this is the parcel shown on its plat. And this is the grading we're talking about a pretty drastic uh drop off as you move from Autobond Way to the rear of the parcel. Um, this section of River Island when it was originally graded for development was only graded for the street and other infrastructure items. Uh, the individual parcels and the overall section of the development were not massg graded to kind of prep it for home development. So, we've actually already seen a couple similar requests in this section of River Island that have uh been approved. Again, um the request is to make use of a retention wall uh to uh kind of uh form a flat and usable backyard on this parcel. And uh the use kind of targeted for that flat yard is to develop the pool. Um this is the concept plan. It shows that the pool is within the 10-ft rear setback about 8 to 9 ft uh from the rear lot line. And the next slide will illustrate where the wall is standing. Um in the uh norththeastern most corner of the lot, that is where the wall is tallest. It is

8 feet. Again, um per Columbia County Code, uh walls in SEPAX are allowed to be 6 feet tall. However, the grading on this parcel and the size of this parcel is such that um that grade cannot be made up to keep that wall below that 6t limit. And so the applicants are requesting that that wall be allowed to be uh 8 ft tall. that area particularly. Again, most of the wall is shown to largely be six feet or shorter complying with code. However, they do need this revision in order to allow that wall to be 8t tall at that location and then to allow the pool to be built within that 10-ft setback set by uh the uh planned unit development narrative as well. Um the only kind of housekeeping note to clean up with this is uh storm water has proposed a condition. Um there is a 10-ft uh storm water drainage and utility easement along the rear lot line that coincides with that 10-ft rear setback. So the pool and wall are both within the uh easement along that lot line. There's also 5-ft easements similarly along the side lot line. So the wall is within that as well. And so uh Stormwater has proposed that an easement encroachment agreement be submitted for this project. It already has been um it is running uh simultaneously with this application and it will be heard by the BOC at their hearing for this item as well. And so the applicants have been proactive with that and so given that staff is recommending approval of this request as well.

Thank you Dylan. the owner of Stephen A. or Marilyn Elbert or applicant of Southeastern Family Homes would like to come forward and add anything to that narrative. Do I have any other member in opposition or in favor [snorts] of this item tonight? Gentlemen, can I get a motion? Mr. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to recommend approval with condition of file RZ260307, [clears throat] major pud revision to reduce the rear setback for a pool and permit a retaining wall over 6 ft tall within the side and rear setbacks for the property at 833 Autobond Way.

Second. I have a motion on the floor and a second for approval. All All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. And I see we have no legal matters this evening. Um staff and commissioner comments. I need cancellation. I have one item. We've got to uh do something with our M's week meeting vote on that request. Um Mr. Chairman, I make a motion for cancellation of the April 2nd planning commission meeting.

Second. I have a motion on the floor and a second to cancel the April 2nd planning commission meeting. Uh, all those in favor of this raise right hand. Motion carries. I have any other public comments or participation. Gentlemen, we have one item left on the agenda. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to adjourn tonight's meeting. Second. I have a motion and a second for adjournment. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. We are adjourned.