Board of Zoning Appeals - Regular Meeting

Good evening. Good afternoon. We'll go ahead and get this started. 5.30, we'll call the meeting to order. First things first, we need to take care of a little business. Is there a motion to approve the minutes from June 25th?

I'll make a motion that we approve them.

All right. Thank you. Is there a second? I'll second. All right. Any questions? Any discussion? All those in favor, please say so by saying aye. Aye. any opposed all right perfect thank you all right again tonight Thursday August 27th 2026 before we get things going we need to read in The four criteria that we have to meet, that you have to meet to justify granting a variance, so I'll read through those real quick. Extraordinary conditions, these are extraordinary and exceptional conditions pertaining to the particular piece of property. Other property that extraordinary and exceptional conditions do not generally apply to other property in the vicinity utilization because of the extraordinary or exceptional conditions the application of the ordinance to a particular piece of property would effectively prohibit or unreasonably restrict the utilization of the property and detriment the authorization of a variance will not be substantial determined to adjacent property or the public good the character of the district will not be harmed by granting a variance all right so um as we discuss uh we you may hear us reference those from time to time so um with that being said we'll turn it over uh city staff to go over the first part okay

This is a variance request from the strict application of the UDO Section 8.2.12 parking requirements for specific uses for the property located at 1911 9th Avenue. Venture Engineering has submitted plans to construct a new building containing 16 one-bedroom apartment units on the subject parcel. Staff's review determined the proposed site plan does not meet the minimum parking requirements. The UDO requires 121 parks for the expanded site, while the proposed layout provides 92 spaces, resulting in a 29 space deficit. The 16 proposed one-bedroom units are designated for senior residents age 60 and older. According to data provided by the Chairman of the EME Board of Trustees, only 24 of the current households own vehicles. Because the actual vehicle ownership rate is low, the applicant contends that the existing 92 spaces will comfortably accommodate both current residents and the proposed senior housing expansion. specific variants requested table 8.3 parking requirements a variance of 29 parking spaces to allow 92 parking spaces where 121 spaces are required and um there's cassidy here from venture engineering if you have any questions all right um is there anything else you want to add to that

get you to raise your right hand swear to tell the truth all truth about the truth i do can we just state your name for the record please um cassie callahan with venture engineering um staff kind of gave a really great overview of everything that we're proposing here um i did want to mention we are making a bunch of other site improvements um to the eme apartments we're adding new landscaping we are making an interconnected entrance there so before it didn't connect on ridge street and pitman it was just kind of a one-way access on either side So we're making it a little bit easier for the residents that currently reside there to enter and exit their apartments. But if y'all have any other questions, more than happy. And we do have the owners here as well.

All right. You guys have any questions? Just one thing. So right now, how many parking spots are there available now?

Available now, Kim, do you have the breakdown? I know it should be on that top corner. I just can't read it. I know we're proposing 92, but the total existing, 66. I was going to say, I can't see. Okay.

All right. And the new parking spots will be, there will be 26 new and the one handicap that meets all requirements there. Right. All right. Cool. All right. Any questions from anyone? Is there anyone else that wants to speak for this request or against this request? All right. Come on up. Don't mind raising your hand. You swear to tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth?

I do. We're at Callahan. Thank you. This is the EME church group and everything. I mean, they're trying to create homes for their residents. And they're a nonprofit organization. So they're not doing this for profit. They're just doing it for the community. And like Cassidy mentioned, I mean, we're putting sidewalks in on the... Upper side on that plan there as well and they don't even anticipate that any of the new residents will even have vehicles I mean I've been to the site numerous times in the existing parking lot there and any time of day I've been in there you could park anywhere's So hopefully you can help them for a good cause. Okay.

Thank you Any other input?

yes ma'am if you don't mind coming up just get you on the record do you mind holding your hand up you swear to tell the whole truth nothing but the truth thank you just state your name for the record okay my name is Alberta Bellamy and I live on the Ridge Street side of this project and it's not going to be a problem for me if the land they now have doesn't affect the residents on the Ridge Street side so I don't know where the entrance is going to entrance or exits going to be there I want to know how far on Ridge Street will that extend if any okay so can anyone answer that

So right now and look, is it kind of basically in the middle of the property is where that will come out at?

It's towards the rear of the property. The entrance on Bridge Street is on the bottom. So it's just towards the you can see where the U shaped building is on the right.

So Ridge Street's the one on top.

Ridge Street's the one on top? Yes, ma'am. Okay.

Yes, ma'am. So it looks like maybe halfway down, maybe, you know, 60% down.

Before the curve on Ridge Street.

oh it's before the curve okay well then that's not going to affect okay if it's before the curve thank you very much those are the kind of directions I like before after the curve everybody knows that that's right that's right all right um any other input for against is there a motion to close public input second all right all those both all those in favor please uh good deal all right um any questions from this group um we have parking issues come up from time to time i think this one is a um is unique just based on the type of property it is um the fact that they're adding spots more spots than units they're building so that that probably is is good there um they're 29 short correct right is that what they're asking for okay um any questions or any input i have a question uh okay yeah i will yeah

Maybe I didn't understand what you're saying.

No, that's okay. Do you mind coming up and just let's get you. Real quick, do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Mrs. Moses.

Ma'am. Mrs. Moses.

Yes, ma'am. Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Sure. Thank you, ma'am.

I want to know what just happened. Okay. I live at the end of Ridge, the very end of Ridge. In other words, if you took off 9th Avenue, you would run into my house.

okay so what does this have to do with this ridge part because the ridge said i'm gonna run into seventh avenue yes ma'am so you're you're there at ridge and in seventh avenue right it doesn't affect anything off of eme's property i'm sorry it doesn't affect anything off of eme's property okay So you just got a letter because by law, we have to send letters to anyone that lives within 200 feet of the property that requested a variance. So it's not going to affect your personal property at all.

Okay. Well, she was asking about the entrance. So the entrance is in the curb. So that would be on the other side of the curb, would it not? In other words, if this is coming off of night turn it on to reach you going down to seven but then you take a bridge again I think on the other side of seven so this is a fixer property but she's behind me so no ma'am it one of it doesn't go across Ridge Street it's everything's contained within EMEA's parcel okay so the the interest in everything to do with my property. Right. Well, not my property, but just where I stay. You know, that's the big part to be coming down there to go in. That would be my concern.

thank you yes ma'am so basically we already have existing and do they have enough space for the existing ones that are already built okay so this is just for the proposed one bedroom correct the 16 units no it's for the overall project so the whole thing right gotcha okay

So once adding the 16 units, then it becomes short the 29, right?

Right. Okay.

But adding 16 one-bedroom units, they're adding 20 units.

something spot so it seems better if each person if each person has if each person let's just say they have two cars if somebody has two cars that's the 32 spaces so well that only 24 of the current households own vehicles okay

From every satellite I've looked at, there's plenty of parking available, including the picture here. It's not like the parking lot is full. Any other questions? I'll make a motion that we grant the request. All those opposed, please say aye. I mean, all those are free. I'm sorry. Just to make sure you're all listening. Any opposed? All right. Thanks. Motion passes. All right. We'll go to city staff for the second reading.

Okay, this is a variance request from the strict application of the city of Conway's section 5.2.1 accessory structures for the property located at victory lane and highway 501. Combination plot was. recorded. However, because the applicant has not finalized the deed work, the formal lot combination is not yet legally complete. Per the UDO, accessory structures require an established principal structure and must be located exclusively in the side and rear yards. the variance requested accessory structures a variance to allow the location of the accessory structures to be forward of the principal structure and they've done a flat combining um they can combine this parcel with that parcel, so this becomes the principal structure. What's that?

Nothing. Nothing, we're just discussing, Orry Tech is here for two things, and one is signage, which is why we combined that plan.

If you're going to speak, you probably need to be sworn in. Let city staff finish.

We're going to keep order here. We didn't get a request for the signage to go forward because the platting action had to be executed first. So this is just for the accessory structures that are for the principal structure because the platting action is going to be good for work.

Okay.

And Cameron is here. If you have any questions, that's who I've been working with. All right. And then I have to recuse myself.

Okay. All right. I swear to tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth. All right, and state your name for the record. Cameron Parker with Development Resource Group.

The staff report explains this pretty well, but just to clarify, the old fire station there at the end of Victory Lane has become the principal structure and the accessory structures are the sheds and open-air sheds that they store materials for the classes in alignment school one I guess the turf grass school so we're just requesting a variance for those to remain in place okay all right any questions for arena so this came to us

in january or earlier this year or maybe late last year and this is the one piece that we couldn't get to so we had to this was the first step to grant the the other variants okay the plat was recorded but it wasn't executed because it was under two separate entities so we were waiting on the deed work

to be able to execute the platting action okay so the sign if the as the deep work is the sign can come forward next okay yeah and i'll elaborate on that just um the deed work i believe is being worked on by performance um they'll be

essentially filing the closure of or not close with the deed to combine those two ownership entities. The plot has been combined, but it can't formally legally be a combined parcel until the deeds are resolved. Yes.

Okay. Is there anyone else wants to speak for or against this project or this issue issue here? Okay. Do we have any issue from a quorum perspective with our recruits?

No. Okay. These structures are utilized for the linesman's yard. Okay.

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. All right. Any questions?

Any input there?

All right. And there's no one else here to speak for, I guess? um make a motion to close public input a second thank you all those in favor aye all right thanks which passes all right um again this is something we looked at uh in the past and it seems as though just kind of the first step in in in taking care of tidying up what we need to from a um from their perspective that the area there on 501 with Coastal, which we'll talk about soon, and Horry Georgetown Tech is unique property as it is itself, so I think it meets the requirements here. Any thoughts or input from you guys? Okay, I'll make a motion that we grant the variance.

I'll second that.

All right. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Motion passes. Thanks. All right. The third one, item C.

This is a variance request from the strict application of the City of Conway's UDO section 6.5.2 gateway corridor overlay for the property located at Highway 501 and University Boulevard as well as Highway 544 and University Boulevard. Due to the Highway 501 widening project, the subsequent realignment and the subsequent realignment of university boulevard the applicant is requesting a variance from the maximum allowable sign face area for three proposed monument signs the subject property is located within the gateway corridor district staff notes that the that this variance request is substantially similar to the prior variance request granted to or georgetown tech in january of 2022. the specific variance requested section 6.5.2 M gateway corridor overlay signs a 35 foot a 35 square foot variance to allow the three proposed monument signs to have a sign area of 95 square feet each and Mr. Mark is here from CCU if you have any questions

Don't remember. You want to come forward? Is there anything else you want to add? unless you got questions okay um if you got questions i'll be more than happy to okay all right um you asked we've come across this before but this isn't something we looked at before is it no not not for coastal town yeah this is their signs were something very similar that's what you referenced was substantially similar right yeah So it's just a size issue, right? That's the only exception we're making here? Okay. Any questions or thoughts? I think it's 35 square feet, is that right?

Right, 35 square feet variance.

yeah and there's there's no height issues just just the right overall square footage so there is no height issue with this one right okay okay is there anyone here to speak against this so the max is 60 correct um correct yes so and they're asking for 95 right okay that's what i thought it was

these are consistent with the other entrances to the campus i'll say well they're going to be doing three signs total i think i think one is replacing and then two new and they're all going to look the same correct they're all going to be the same sign just three of them there's no sign on 544 with the new road and then the new one on 501 yes okay

I'm going to make a motion to grant this variance.

Is there a second? I'll second. All right. Well, first off, let's... Motion to close public input.

I make a motion. Thank you. And second for that?

Yes. Thank you. All those in favor of closing public input, say so. Say so by saying aye. Aye. All right. Thank you. Now your motion. Yes.

We approve this variance.

Thank you. I second. Second. All those in favor of approving the variance, please say so by saying aye. Aye. Thank you. Motion passed. Thanks. Appreciate it. All right. Now more signs to see. Can you read into it?

This is a variance request from the strict application of the city of Conway's UDO section 6.5.3 village corridor overlay for the property located at 1219 16th Avenue. The applicant recently relocated his business from Coastal Center after purchasing the property at 1219 16th Avenue. He is requesting a 20-foot pole sign to match the existing signage of the neighboring businesses. However, these surrounding signs are legal non-conforming. If any of these existing signs are removed for any reason, they cannot be reinstalled. Any new signage for those tenants would be required to comply fully with the current UDO. The village corridor overlay allows for monument and freestanding post signs only. The maximum height is eight feet and the maximum size is 24 square feet. Specific variants requested. Village corridor overlay variants to allow a pole sign that does not comply with the overlay district standard restrictions on sign type, height, and total area.

Okay. Thank you.

Is there someone here? Mr. Mike is here. Okay. Come up and...

Do you mind? I swear to tell the whole truth, not about the truth. Yes, I do. And state your name for the record. Mike Hanna. I'm the pharmacy manager and owner. Thank you. You want to add a little more color or anything else you want to share with us?

Well, it's just that the 20-foot height, it's not a strict 24. I can go to 18, but the whole point is that I need a sign to be able to be up enough for people to see it from a distance because this is the problem that we have. A lot of people when they come either direction, from either direction, they have to hit the brake if it's the first timers. They don't know that the pharmacy is right there because right now I have a sign on top of the building, but it has an overhang that can prevent the vision from coming towards the pharmacy to see the building. And they realize it right in front of the building, which

causes the sudden stop and a lot of thankfully there's no accidents yet but i'm just you know i want to avoid this that's what i'm trying to do i understand okay um is there anyone else here to speak for or against um the sign the request all right um any questions here what's the height

so that but the the sign style is prohibited and should any of these signs come down for any reason they can be refaced but if they're removed for any reason a wreck or anything they could not be put back up and the reason i put the key reasons that um the city of conway does not um allow for pole signs yeah okay got a bunch of signatures back here yeah so these you want to share this petition here you want to talk a little bit about that i have actually about 340 signatures from

my customers and patients supporting the idea just because everyone experienced that same issue coming for the first time that they couldn't, especially that we have also very small parking spot that we share with the next door business, the tavern, which it's difficult as it is to get in and out of the parking lot and not knowing where the pharmacy is, it causes a lot of problems.

Yeah, I understand. that whole stretch 16th avenue it's even the speed limit's 25 it feels like it's a racetrack through there sometimes um we well any other thoughts questions i mean

staff doesn't it's prohibited yeah we have to go we have to follow the criteria i mean even though it wouldn't say it makes sense i feel like we have to we have to stay with that criteria that we have to meet yeah i get that what is the tallest he could have um eight foot um a monument sign or a freestanding post sign

so this sign is if this sign design would work if it was only eight feet tall and had two posts okay

It had to be more like that. Right.

Just to mention one thing that the point where I decided to put that sign, I don't think it will allow any other different sign just because, and I don't want to lose a parking spot because as it is right now, that parking spaces that we have, it's very tiny and it's causing us so much problem, especially with the place next door. They sometimes take my spots for parking even though I posted the signage that it's not for any other customers. So I cannot build, I would love to do that, to actually build a great signage like the one across the street that the coastal. Oh yeah, yes. But that will take at least one parking spot to be able to fit it because you can't put it on the sidewalk. So that's why the only way to do it is just a pole sign since it's about eight inches diameter. It will not take much at all and it can be raised up not to obstruct any view or anything at all.

I understand.

I think the challenge for us is those other signs existed before the UDO and if we were to grant this, it would negate the UDO.

That's what I can't get passed on that because if you do it for one, then you have to do it for everybody else.

I certainly understand your perspective, but I think that's where I would be worried about setting a bad precedent.

All right. Again, anything else from anyone else in the crowd? We'll make a motion to close public input.

I have one question. Yeah. Kim, could he do an eight foot, an eight feet high, 60 long sign? Would that work right now in that spot? Eight, 60 wide? Yeah, like make it big and have it big, but, you know, like it's supposed to be a monument sign.

He could do a monument sign, but he doesn't have a lot of room. Space for that? Right.

How much space do you have in that little spot? Cause it looks like it's a pretty good little spot right there from what I'm looking at.

What do you mean? Where exactly?

Well, where you've got the sign right here. Is this where you're going to put it? No, that's just a picture. Oh, that's just a picture. I thought that's where you were going to put it. No, no, no. That's just a picture.

The sign is actually going to have just a pole. It's going to be pulled about 8 inches or 10 inches diameter, and that's it.

Okay. Gotcha. I didn't know that. It looked like you had taken this and put the door sign in the picture. No, no.

anything else and because it's strictly prohibited unfortunately staff can't get behind it

um anything else okay all right um motion to close public input i'll make a motion second second thank you all those in favor please thank you um yeah right um so i mean i think we kind of all have the same thought based on um you know the the current rules if There's a reason why the city has these rules in place, and it's unfortunate. We understand you're concerned about folks seeing your property and driving business, but we can't make these decisions based on economic factors. Unfortunately, it is based solely on meeting those four criteria, and I don't know if we do that here.

I'll make a motion that we deny the request based on our criteria. Okay. And this does not meet the criteria. Okay.

I'll second. All right. Motion's made. All those in favor of denying the request, please state so by saying aye.

Aye. All right.

Sorry, but yeah. Doesn't get through. Okay. Anything else from CitySide? Next meeting, September 24th? Hopefully Paul and Catherine will be here. Thank you. Should we officially recognize the birthday girl? Happy birthday. Is there a motion to adjourn?

I'll make a motion to adjourn.

All those in favor, please say so. Thank you.