Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call order the March 19th, 2026 planning commissioning meeting to order. Um, please stand for the invocation by Russell Wilder. Pledge of Allegiance by Jamie Lester.

Y'all would bow with us. I dear Lord, we want to thank you for this day, the beautiful weather we've had. Want to thank you for all the many blessings you bestow upon this community, upon this country, this great state we live in. We want to ask that you look over all those that protect us day and night every day. The fire service, the sheriff's office, and our gold cross that come and takes us to the hospital. We want to uh ask that you give us guidance this evening, that you look over us, that we we behave in a manner pleasing to you. And we ask that, you know, we all keep it civil and be professional about our duties this evening. We thank you for the folks that have taken time to come here this evening to join in the process and that you give us all a safe ride home from this meeting this evening. All this in Jesus name I ask. Amen.

I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. [clears throat] Okay, we do have a full quorum this evening. Gentlemen, you've had a chance to review the minutes from the previous meeting, March 5th, 2026. I need approval. Mr. Chairman, a motion to approve the minutes from the March 5th meeting. Second. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. Gentlemen, you've had a chance to look over the agenda for this evening. I need approval for that. Mr. Chairman, motion to approve tonight's agenda.

Second.

I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. 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 request tonight will be forwarded to the commissioners for final action on April 21st, 2026. If you wish to address the board of commissioners at their meetings, please see Miss Mixon to obtain a request to speak form. Any request with public hearing will have a minimum of 10 minutes permitted per side for the 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. Getting into the debate agenda, we have new business massage operators license H1 A1. Will

there sheriff's request for a massage operator's license for a night shade studio LLC operating offering mobile massage services only their administrative office at 1753 Taylor Road the requirements of all the they meet the requirements of the ordinance staff recommends approval. Do we have anyone here tonight that like to speak for this or against? Can I get a motion? Mr. Mr. Chairman, make a motion to approve the massage operator's license for Nightshade Studio LLC to provide mobile ma massage services. Second.

I have a motion and a second. Can all those in favor raise your right hand. Motion carries. Getting into the public hearing. H1, B1, um B2, B3, B4, B5. And that is um Dylan.

Uh yes. As you As you uh referenced, these are the um uh annual um Augusta National Women's Amateur uh tournament TUA applications that we review um for the Champions Retreat kind of setup for that tournament. Um the first application we're looking at here is just off Champions Parkway. Um, this is the couple trailers associated with kind of the security personnel working the front of the property in this clearing kind of in the roundabout area up at the just before you get to the golf course. Um, this next one is also off Champions Parkway. It is uh actually for the golf course as a whole. Um, and as we'll see in a second, it's for things like uh concessions and refreshment and restroom trailers as well as TV towers and scoreboard towers. Again, all temporary structures affiliated with the operation of the tournament. At 70 Champions Parkway, we have the uh kind of the tournament setup and maintenance and operations center in the maintenance area of the golf course typically. And this one is for the front security checkpoint tent. just kind of uh making sure everybody that is attending the tournament or looking to attend the tournament has all of the security required tickets and things like that. Again, at a roundabout in the neighborhood before you get to the [clears throat] golf course. And then this application is uh for 4945 Hardy McManis Road. This is for the employee parking at uh Grace Baptist Church just off Hardy McManis Road. And again, this is where employees park and then are shuttled to the golf course to again assist in operating the tournament there on the Championship Tree Golf Course. Staff is re recommending approval of all five of these applications.

Thank you, Dylan. Um, this is public hearing. We have anyone here like to speak on behalf of this or against it? Gentlemen, can I get a motion? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to approve H1B1 through H1B5 for the A&WA at Champions Retreat Golf Course. Second.

I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. H1B6. Um, this is I'm sorry, I lost my place. RZ260308 and Major revision to roof roof's rear setback. Danielle, who has Danielle? I'm sorry, I can't find it. Danielle.

Yes, sir. This is a request for a major ped revision to reduce the rear setback at 4102 Shady Oaks Drive for a proposed pool. Uh, this property is in the Westlake subdivision and is part of the planned unit development there. [snorts] This shows the aerial of the property with the existing house uh which you can see takes up a majority of the property. Uh it is a little bit of an oddly shaped lot. It is on a little bit of a curve on the front. Um that does sort of push the house a little bit further back than it might otherwise be so that the corners meet the the front setback requirement. And this shows the existing house. And the plan is to fit a 10x 25 pool in the back corner of the property. Uh it meets the 5ft side setback. uh but needs the reduction for the uh currently 10 foot rear set back down to 5T uh so the pool fits in this space. The HOA has reviewed the request and approved it. Um they did have a um request for additional landscaping which you saw in your original staff report was proposed as a condition uh from staff. There's been some additional discussion with the applicant in the HOA since then and essentially the HOA is going to handle that on their own without the county being involved. So the current recommendation is uh just approval without that condition.

Thank you Daniel. Will the owners of Shennai Bari and Hammad Malik and applicant Hammad Malik would like to come forward and speak on behalf of this? [clears throat] Just state your name and address for the record please.

Yes sir. Uh Hamid Malik 4102 Shady Oak Drive Martins J 30907 so uh staff covers everything you know um we have a need for this pool some medical reason from my wife she's position but she has some you know issues the health and schedule doesn't allow to go to public pool and all that so greatly appreciate that and she mentioned you know um worked through the HOA board I've been on the board 12 clear for myself. So I'm very familiar with the West Lake boards required and all that. So I'm requesting their approval as staff recommended without any condition. So Okay.

Thank you. Any questions? Thank you. [clears throat] Any other person here would like to speak in favor or against? Gentlemen, can I get a motion? Mr. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to recommend approval of file RZ26-03-08, major pud revision to reduce the rear setback to 5 ft for a pool at 4102 Shady X Drive. Second.

I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. Next item is RZ26. Let's see. RZ260309. This is U. Dylan again.

Yes. This is an application for reszoning at 475 uh Lewon Road. Um this is a aerial photo of the site or the location of the site. Sorry. It um the parcel has frontage on Lewon Road and William View Parkway. It's a very large parcel for this area. We specifically are looking um at an area closer up by Lewon Road. We'll get a close-up view here in a moment. and they're requesting to reszone a portion of this parcel that's currently zoned M1 light industrial uh to C2 general commercial. Um there is some C2 zoning present on this parcel as well as on many of the surrounding parcels. Um and this is the area that they're requesting to reszone. Again, it's closer up by Lewon Road. It doesn't have frontage on the road. Um however uh it would match generally kind of the zoning that runs up and down Lewon Road and uh we think therefore that it would be generally appropriate. Um something of note is the uh cars lining the driveway here just north of the parcel. Um we have a condition proposed on our side um that these vehicles would need to kind of vacate that driveway for the sake of uh flow onto this site and the rest of the parcel as a whole. Again, we'll revisit that in just a moment. Uh this is the existing site and again this is the site plan. Uh again showing the use of that driveway that's currently blocked by those vehicles. Um and then uh showing the development of a multi-tenant commercial uh structure. The M1 zoning for this parcel uh it was reszoned back in 22 with the desire to develop a self-s storage uh building on this site. Um again, uh the commercial use and zoning generally is more appropriate there along the Lewon roadway. And so the zoning is a little bit more appropriate given the context. It kind of helps us again establish a little bit more clear

kind of rear lot line along these commercial zoned uh parcels and areas. Um establishing kind of the industrial uses and zoning back behind those commercial parcels and uses up along Lewon Road. Um, an issue with this site is there's been a couple reasonzonings in the past for M1 zoning that have also required variances to code. We see that with fair regularity on split zone parcels. They're generally less desired um from a county and code standpoint for this reason. And so, one thing staff is also proposing aside from just those vehicles vacating that access easement and driveway is that the uh parcel as a whole be subdivided along the zoning lines. uh provided that this application should receive approval that is an included condition of approval with this application. Um it's within the regional commercial character area this parcel is again that character area makes uh more concessions for anticipation of commercial development compared to industrial zoning. Um, that's not to say that those industrial zoning districts and uses aren't uh viable in this character area in certain circumstances, but generally this zoning change is in keeping with the vision of that future development map as well. And so given all these factors and the aforementioned conditions, as long as those conditions can be met, staff is recommending approval.

Thank you, Dylan. the owners of Gateway Storage LLC or the applicant EMC Engineering Service would like to come forward and add any additional narrative. You state your name and address, please, for the record. Robert Titus with EMC Engineering, 4424 Columbia Road. Not much more to add. We're just trying to get it cleaned up. You know, we've met with staff. We've kind of gone back and forth. Um, that area was originally going to be condition storage, but things change, so we just want to get it cleaned up to where it's C2 and consistent with everything else like uh Dylan said. Okay, we have any questions? Um, have you got any prospective tenants lined up or

Well, what you look at is a concept plan. It could change. It really depends on tenants, but we don't really have anybody lined up yet. But, um, like I said, you build it and they'll come. the uh issue with the the condition about the cars. How y'all going to handle that? That's fine. They're just parked there just because they're parked there, but they'll be moved and that'll be it's an access easement through there to get back to the backside, too. So, won't be a problem at all. Subdividing [snorts] is is also something we're planning on doing. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Any other member in the audience would like to speak in favor or against? State your name and address for the record. Good evening. Yeah, Jeff Wilson and my address is 726 Greenfield Abby Court in Martinez. I thought that was my alarm. No, go ahead. Just me. So, I just wanted to bring up the fact that I'm with Sherman and Hem Street and I represent Mr. Brad Sandach who has two parcels adjacent to the very back of Mr. Haven's parcel here. Uh, 497 and 499 Lewon Road. I don't know who has the touch screen, but maybe you could show to them on the screen. You can actually touch. Oh, I can.

Okay. So, right here, because the these parcels here are are Brad's. Mhm.

So, um what our concern is is that the zoning I realize there's an ordinance in place that states that uh under 9088 that driveway connection shall be provided between adjacent commercial properties were practical. And our concern is we just want to we've talked to staff and we were hoping that they would enter this as as an additional use, but we want to make sure that that curb cuts there. Um, we we just I know when when plans come back in from engineering and and EMC comes to a final drawing, I just want to make sure that there's a curb cut where firet trucks, ambulances, and any traffic through that future development of 497 and 499 can access across there and get to Louis or uh Williams Parkway. Uh, as a as a side note, we're one signature away with Waffle House for getting an easement in place to use the entrance onto off of Lewon Road so we can cross the Waffle House to enter these properties from the front, but our concern is being able to to access from the back as well. So, I just wanted to go on record stating that that we'd like to have that added and make sure that it's crystal clear in there that that curb cut be put in place.

Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Anyone else would like to come forward and speak? Can I respond? You can respond. Yes.

Um, as far as a condition for approval to have a curb cut or an access ement or whatever to their property, I don't think that's justified. Not sure how y'all feel, but I I've I've talked to staff and we've kind of gone through everything. Um, so essentially that piece of property, Can I go back to the Yeah. Uh, one more. So essentially these two pieces of property here when they widen Lewon Road, those two pieces of property sold their rights to access Lewon Road for safety reasons. So, I don't think it should be incumbent upon the owner of this other property to have to facilitate something because it's not for a it's not a public need that would be driving through a parking lot to get to their property. And as he said, I mean, that's good that he's got uh potentially has access using an easement with the Waffle House, but we just don't see a lot that's should be part of the approval process is to us for our client to be required to have access stubbed out to him. He sold that, right? So, but not him, but his client.

Okay. Any other questions? Clarify. Questions, gentlemen. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else would like to come forward? Can I get a motion? Mr. Chairman, I recommend approval with condition for file RZ2603309 reszoning 1acre portion of property at 475 Lewon Road from MC [snorts] to C2. I'll second. I have a motion on the floor and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. Next on the list is RZ260310H1 B8 and Ana.

Yes, sir. This is a major revision to the current S1 special zoning on the location at 830 Lewisville Road on 5 acres. The existing use is a church and related activities and the request is to add a freestanding sign in the visibility clearance area. This is the location of the property on the north side of Lewisville Road. And this is a zoning map. It's S1 uh surrounding uses RR A. And then you've got the C1 for the dollar store. [snorts] There's a closeup of the aerial. You can see where the church is in the located in the center of the property with the parking lot in front and the um long driveway to Lewisville Road where the sign will be on the on the south side. Here's a plat. And these are the street views. They show the current sign that's there. The applicant wants to remove that and uh build a new sign. This is a site plan. It shows some of the grading that's on the uh east side of the driveway on this on this plan. Um it actually slopes down quite a bit towards the drainage ditch and the septic field. And here's site photograph showing the existing sign. So the photograph on the the right, it shows a blue panel on the ground and that is where the applicant would like to put the new sign. It does fall into the 20 by 20 visibility triangle that's required. Um but it it is away from the current sign which looks like it's in the right part partly in the rightway. So it's an improvement on what's there right now. And here's the plan showing the visibility triangle. The applicant would like to keep the five- foot setback from the property line which is required. Um the advantage of this location is that the drive aisle on Lewisville Road is approximately 35 ft from the property line. So there isn't real concern in terms of visibility and

the traffic engineering department has also no concerns about this location. Here's a proposed sign in a monument style and staff is recommending approval of this with the condition that the minimum 5 foot front setback requirement must be shown on the site plan submitted for permitting. Thank you Nana. The owner applicant pastor Richard Han on behalf of Trinity Baptist Church would like to come forward and add anything. [clears throat] Just state your name and address for the record, please.

Yes, sir. Uh Richard Bean, 146 Pawn View Road, Evans, Georgia. Um just like to say that um I appreciate all the work that the planning commission has done. U when we were ordering the new sign, uh we had no idea that the old sign was actually sitting on the rightway. And so, um, when we looked at the 20 by 20, uh, protection area, um, as noted by the planning commission, the it drops off so steeply, it would be a cost prohibitive item for us to then have to elevate that sign. And so because of such a deep setback um as um was already mentioned about the traffic um has looked at it, we're just asking for can we just shift it back 5 ft off that right away. We'll keep that way the elevation's the same. Um that old sign, all that will be removed and cleaned up so we're no longer in the county's property.

Have any questions? Thank you. Thank you. Any [clears throat] other member of the audience would like to speak in favor or against? Gentlemen, can I get a motion? Chairman, make a motion to recommend approval with conditional file RZ26-03-10, Major S1 revision to permit a freestanding sign within the visibility triangle at 8:30 Louisville Road. Second. I have a motion on the floor and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries. I see we have no legal matters, staff and commissioner comments. Any public comments or participation? I see none. Gentlemen, can I get a motion? Mr. Chairman, motion to adjurnn. Second.

I have a motion on the floor and a second. All those in favor of adjournment, raise your right hand. We are.