Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Neither. So, um, let's see. Jud, yes. Can I get your phone number so you did you? Okay. I don't think I have yours or yours but just so that I can let somebody

Oh, today Oh, you still even I hereby call this meeting of the March 17, 2026 Lancaster County Planning Commission to order. Would the clerk please call roller? Lynette Henson

here. Judina Tinklinberg here. Michelle Richards here. Sheila Henson, Francis Lou barely here.

Would the clerk please make a note on the record that a quorum of the planning commission is present? Public notice of the meeting, including the meeting agenda has been posted, the required length of time in the lobby of the county administrative building and on the county website, and the news media was notified of the meeting place and time. Everyone, please welcome yourselves to the Lancaster County Planning Commission meeting. Uh, please make sure you've turned off all of your electronic devices and silence them. And please abide by the posted rules for the meeting room. Um, assignup sheets were provided at the entrance to the room. If you haven't already, please add your name to the list for the relevant agenda item, and you will be called to speak at the appropriate time. Please rise and join us in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge 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.

Lord, we come before you at this meeting asking for your peace to fill this room. We know that some of the decisions may be difficult and we ask for your guidance to guide our words. Help us to listen well and respond with patience rather than frustration. Grant us the grace to speak the truth with kindness and to focus on solutions rather than conflicts. May your wisdom steer these conversations toward a positive and productive outcome. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. And in honor of St. Patrick's Day, an old Irish proverb. May God give you for every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each and every trial. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm 82% Irish, so I had to get the St. Patrick's Day dig in there. Uh the next item on the agenda is the um approval of tonight's uh agenda. Do I hear a motion? Motion to approve. Do I hear a second? Second. Um all in favor, show of hands. Vote passes four to zero. The next item on the agenda is the approval of the February 17, 2026 regular meeting. Do I hear a motion? Make a motion. Do I hear a second?

Second. Show of hands for passing. Motion passes four to zero. Next item on the agenda is the um minutes of the March 5th, 2026 workshop. Um, do I have any discussions or comments? Um, I have a motion to amend the minutes based on what was presented in front of you tonight with the attachment. Madam Chairperson, you need a motion first. I'm sorry, you are correct. Can I have a motion to approve the minutes? Make a motion. I have a second. Second. Now, any discussion or comments?

Thank you. Um, I'll repeat. I have a motion to amend the minutes based on um what was presented in front of you tonight with the attachment. I believe everyone had a chance to read that before the meeting started. Do I have any other questions or concerns? Madam Chairperson, for the record, we're going to need that amendment so the clerk can I mean the secretary can make those changes to those to the minutes. Say that again. We're going to need that amendment to be verbalized. Yes. That that can be made. Yes, I was going to do that next. Okay. We're just asking if there are any more questions or comments. So, do I have a motion to accept the minutes as amended? Nope.

We we we need to know what the amendment is. You're referring to a document, but we need to verbalize what that amendment is. Okay. I um wanted to remove the bullet um pointing out the proximity of my residence. It's an e raises an ethical question. So I had it removed.

Yes, ma'am. That's her requested amendment. So now it would need a second a vote. Yes. So do I have a motion to accept the meeting the minute meetings as amended per commissioner uh Tinklberg's comments? I mo a motion to accept. Do I have a second? Have a second. Second. All right. You finished, Miss Lou?

I'm sorry. I'm It doesn't have to do with this amendment. I just I'm sorry. I'm just looking at something from the um workshop where I am quoted directly and we usually don't use direct quotes. So, I was looking to see if I had any concern about when we quote directly and when we summarize. Does that make sense? Yes.

I don't necessarily have a problem with it, but I would like to know unless it's specifically requested, are we going to do direct quotes or are we going to do summations? They're not meant to be verbatim minutes. So I don't I'm trying to do this last minute but I don't understand why that is quoted verbate verbatim on the last page right in the middle of the page have a comment to that. Sure. Um you had said for the record and so I quoted it.

I did say for the record. Yes, ma'am. And that's all I I needed to know. Absolutely. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, staff, for clarifying. Thanks for clarifying that. That made it very easy. All right. And so, do I have a second to approve the amended? Second. Second. Okay. So, that's the amendment that you're right. Not the minutes as amended. It's just the amendment right now. Amendment. So, now we have to go back and approve. You got to get the vote on the amendment. Who approves? Who approves the amendment? Show hands. passes four to zero. Now, do I have a motion to accept the amended minutes? Correct. All right. And second motion from Commissioner Tinklenberg, seconded by

Commissioner Lou. Show of hands to pass the amended minutes. Passes four to zero. And that's only the minutes.

Got to love Robert's rules, but that's okay. Um, so now we are up to next item on the agenda is citizens comments. There are no comments under the um general minute the under the um the general comments. So we will um close out citizen comments. Now we need to go into executive session and remind me on I know there's something special we have to do. So you'll need a motion and you will need to read verbatim what is on the agenda for the item for executive session. So you need to request a motion to go into executive session for and read that verbatim.

And we'll also need to include the procurement director and the county administrator to be invited in. Yes. All right. So, um, can we have a motion to go into executive session for receipt of legal advice subject to the attorney client privilege regarding contractual matters related to the impact fee study? So, move and and to include the county to include and to also invite um Mr. Steve Willis, the county administrator, and Miss Tracy Rayon, who is the procurement manager, into the meeting. So moved. So moved. Do I have a second? Second.

All right. Passes. Yep. Yep. Those in favor? All right. Passes four to zero. Glasses pin.

All right, we are out of and of ajourned from executive session. Do I have a uh motion to adjurnn? Motion to adjurnn. Do I have a second? Second. Show of hands. We are out of executive session. Madam Chair, for the record, the planning commission met in executive session in regards to one item, the receipt of legal advice subject to the attorney client privilege regarding contractual matters related to an impact fee study. No motions were made, no votes were taken.

Thank you, ma'am. Next item on our agenda is uh public hearing items for recommendation to council. First item on the agenda is RZ 202252735 Roberts.

Good evening commissioners. Okay, you have before you reszoning 20252735. Uh applicant is Charles Roberts. This parcel is located at 1553 Pageland Highway. The owner, the existing use is a non-conforming residential use, which means that even though it is owned commercial, it has retained its original um residence and is used as a residence. The owner would like to place a shed on a storage shed on his property, but cannot get a permit until it is reszoned to residential because placing that shed would be an expansion of the residential use and that cannot be done while it is zoned commercial. The current zoning is general business. Um, several parcels directly along Pageland Highway, they're on the north and south side of Pageland Highway are zoned GB, but do retain their non-conforming residential use. Um, the proposed zoning is low density residential. There is low density residential adjacent to the property along the rear or along the northern property line all along um, Kelly Drive. The future land use designation of this is growth area. LDR is a permissible zoning district. Um, and because it is growth area, if for any reason a future owner wanted to reszone it to a commercial use, it would

also be permissible. So, there's no real downside to zoning this um residential. I have attached a use chart highlighting the permissible uses in each of the zoning districts. the existing and the recommended and staff recommends approval. I'm here for your questions. Commissioners, do you have any questions for staff?

Um, is the applicant here? Applicant was unable to join us. He's Oh, you did. You were okay. He He had originally thought that his dog might be having surgery, but a So, like I said, do you have any questions or concerns for us? Okay. All right. Yep. All right. Dog. Okay.

All right. Uh, if there's no more questions for staff, we'll now consider ourselves in public hearing. Let me make sure I've got the right sheet. No one has signed up to speak, so we would consider ourselves out of public hearing. One second. Let me sign everything. Um, let's see. Um uh commissioners, you have before you item number RZ 2025 2735 Roberts. Um do I hear a motion?

I move to approve. Do I hear a second? I'll second it.

Um uh those in favor. So vote passes four to zero. Um so by a vote of four to zero, this motion passes um unanimously and this item will be referred to county council for final decision and the applicant will be informed of the date and the time. The next item on the agenda is RZ 2026 0152 project magic. Thank you for doing that. Good evening, commissioners. Uh, so like Chair Richard said, we do have a resoning in front of you for project magic. What you have listed on this slide here is an aerial view of the GIS map to show you where that parcel is. And just to give you reference, across the street is where MUSC is building their new Indian Land facility. It is currently zoned low density residential. What is being requested is regional business. This gives you an aerial of the zoning map to show that it's currently zone LDR. Uh it's got the districts listed out there for you. And then I know uh the PDD district isn't one that we normally see. So I went ahead and titled those for you. The one down there on the bottom left corner is Bridgemill and the one kind of in the right corner is Aninsley Park. This application does meet all of the UDO provisions and procedures that are detailed in chapter 9 and that's attached uh to the staff report in your packet if you'd like to look at those. It's titled UDO provisions and procedures. And then you do have your surrounding districts and use chart attached there uh to provide you more information on the surrounding area. Of course, this is zoned in the it is in the moratorum area. So we always highlight that for you. But of course

because it's commercial in nature, uh it is not susceptible to the residential moratorium that's in place. This is a view of the future land use designation map from our comp plan. You can see the subject parcel there is in the growth area FLU where regional business is a permissible zoning district. Um, so it does align with the FLU designation as well as the panhandle objective that's included there. Your use chart is attached as always to the back of your staff report. The permitted uses and the permitted with review uses are highlighted like in a fuchsia magenta color. I hope that came through on your report. And then the conditional uses are highlighted in an orange so you can kind of easily differentiate which are which. And then there's some site photos of the signs that were put out. And then of course the one there shows you it's directly across the street from the MUSC Indian Land Development and staff recommends approval of this request and I am here for any questions here. Um our Brian Folk is here the director of economic development because this is an economic development project and the applicant is here for questions as well.

Um commissioners, do you have any questions for staff? I do. Could you go back one slide? doctor. Absolutely. Of course. Um, what is here? Growth area. Okay. That Yeah, that little tag right there. There is Dogwood. Dogwood Acres on there. Dogwood acres is south or north, I'm sorry. Dog, it's at the top. So, it's hard to mix. Can you see this right here? Can you see this one?

Oh. Okay. I guess because it's so small it'd be hard. But I just wondered why there's a neighborhood listed here and a neighborhood listed here, but the neighborhood is not listed that is going to be most affected. So this is your future land use map. So um it looks a little bit different than here. This one might Does that is that is the zoning map a little bit more helpful because that'll show you the streets and then it'll show you that those are zoned low density residential. That is that more helpful?

No offense. No offense. It's more realistic to me and it's more transparent. Uh looking at the other one makes it look like there's no one living right adjacent to it, but the neighborhoods across the street are highlighted. But now seeing this um that it it's clear that it ab butts another neighborhood.

Oh yeah, absolutely. So yeah, the zoning map is going to be a little bit more clear of how it currently stands. So of course that future land use map that's from the 2040 comprehensive plan. So that's just showing you where we're moving to. So it's not as um I guess detailed in terms of actual development in the streets. We can change some of the layers if you'd like to see that moving forward, but it doesn't have the features that the GIS map like the the zoning map does. I guess in this case, if you'll go back to that other one, the original one. Yeah. Yeah, the original. No, not this one, but the other one. Oh, the future land use. Okay.

Land use. I think that's very misleading when someone's looking for future land use. Because since the two neighborhoods are so definitively marked, it just makes one question, why isn't another neighborhood that's next to a growth area indicated? So that if someone looks at it and says, "Oh, core mixed use growth area." Okay, no big deal. But maybe if you see that there's a neighborhood, it might make it a a different thought process.

Yeah. I Yeah, I understand. I understand what you're saying. Absolutely. So that's um and that's of course why that zoning map is included there. And then that original map is the same map as the zoning map. It just doesn't have the zoning districts labeled. So that's the exact just about the exact same image. It's just showing you without that layer included. So that one looks almost nearly the same. I think to simplify it's fair to say other than across the street where the hospital is being built, it is completely surrounded by residential use. Thank you.

Did you want me to leave it on that one? You want me to leave it on that one? I think this is more transparent or more indicative, more representative of what we're really doing here tonight. Um, I do have another question. If you're done, I'm done for now. Um, Dr. Willis, I don't know if it's you that would answer my question or if I need to wait. You can totally tell me if it's coming up in the answer in somebody else's presentation. Um, has the use been um disclosed?

Um, outside of it being a commercial development for a corporation or a business that already exists in Lancaster County, I am not privy to that. Uh that does not mean that our economic development director does not have more information, but what I do know is that it is a business that currently exists in Lancaster County and um they're looking to put all of their operations in one facility and the facility that they're currently in is is no longer meeting their needs.

Okay, that's helpful. Thank you. I I think just when we're thinking of what is required of us to think about in any resoning regardless of where it is is if the uses that would be allowed with the new zoning makes sense for whatever property we're looking at. And when I'm looking at this and I see that there's a hospital going across the street, it's completely surrounded by residential. makes me question why are we jumping from low density residential all the way to the highest level of commercial when we're skipping right over neighborhood business when we're skipping right over even general business um you know living in district 4 um you know I represent the needs there I know what we're living and what the problems are and I'm not sure that the uses that I see in the use chart makes sense for um this property. It's concerning. And then not knowing specifically what the use is um it it um makes it hard hard to stay positive and thought about it.

Yeah, I understand. So, unfortunately, I can't other than knowing that it it is for, you know, a corporate office kind of warehouse type for this business. I really don't that would require me to speak to their intent. Um and you know unfortunately when they request uh certain districts of course they have a presubmittal meeting uh where they kind of discuss what they're looking to do but because we're at a reszoning stage when we're looking strictly at land use. I totally understand what you're saying that you're trying to see the whole picture. But in that presubmitt where we're looking at land use that's really what dictates the conversation is the land use since that's since that's the phase that we're in. And so I don't want to speak to the intent of the applicant because I really couldn't truly tell you why they requested regional business instead of another zoning district.

Maybe our question is for the economic director. I say that would be a question for them. I'm absolutely welcome either Brian or the applicant if they can provide more insight to that question. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. Yeah, for sure. Get out of your way. Please state your name and address for the record, please.

My name is Jerry Gronky and my address is 354 Hortman Grove Road in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Um, and I represent and work for the uh potential occupant uh for what we're going to build in that uh parcel. It will be we currently have uh three locations, two in Lancaster and one in New York that we are going to consolidate into one warehouse building. The name of the company is unique USA inc. But you might know us more commonly by rugs.com. So we don't manufacture, we're just a distribution center and uh and a fulfillment center. And um as Dr. Dr. Willis had mentioned uh we have a 500,000 foot warehouse over on 793 Fort Mill Highway and um one in Chester and one up by Carowinds and we're going to consolidate those three into one. Additionally, on the front portion of the parcel on the highway frontage, there's two medical office buildings that we would also like to build to accommodate some of the doctor groups and some of the ancillary services that the hospital has been speaking to us about. Can I ask a question?

Yeah. Okay. So, there would be out parcels out out front out front um to speak to the hospital across the street and then a large warehouse distribution and set back around all of the residential. Well, the residential would be all around it. The residential would be around. Yes. Okay. I have a question. Yes. Um being a distribution center, does that mean there would be a lot of uh traffic like 18 wheelers bringing in and taking out mainly bringing in um product

uh on a daily uh week without being in like a Black Friday or Cyber Week scenario. There's four to five uh trailers that come in a day and three that leave. meaning four come in, we have to unload and then during our fulfillment there's uh three to four that would be going out on a daily basis. Okay. Question. Is it a 24hour? Is it 24 hours a day? Is it three shifts or

No. No. Uh we do at certain days we do run two shifts, but they're not consecutive. They're layered. So one shift starts at 7 o'clock. The next shift starts at 10 o'clock. Both in the morning. So, one shift is done at 3:30, one shift is done at 6:30. Thank you. We don't work on Saturdays. Um, and we have a very small crew in on Sundays. So, this has nothing to do with anything, but I did all of the inspections and testing on your original facility that you're on Fort Mill Highway. You are.

So, a good building. And is it correct that if this would not be reszoned, you are thinking of leaving Lancaster County? We are looking at possible options if this does not go through. The answer is yes to your question. Okay. There are some in Lancaster and there are some outside of Lancaster. Okay. So, it's not If this would not work, you are not definitively leaving Lancaster County. Definitively. No. Okay, that's all I'm asking. Definitively. Possibly. Yes, definitively. Yes. Yes.

Just for curiosity sake, um I know where you're currently located within our county and I know that there's available undeveloped parcels behind where you're currently located. Were those not viable options? I'm just I thought Kier took the last one just recently. Did they? Okay. All right. Thank you. Yes. Thank you. Any more questions? I have a question for the um for staff, I guess. For this use, Thank you very much, sir. Yes. Thank you, sir. For this purpose, is regional business the only use that uh only zone that would permit what they're doing.

It is for indoor warehousing. Okay. Thank you. Absolutely. Any more questions for staff or the applicant? I don't think so.

All right, we will now consider ourselves into public hearing. Um uh we have one um excuse me, we have two um email comments that came in. One from Sam Beagle and another from uh Rebecca Dzdas. Um uh uh Mr. Beagle was curious what they were going to do to help fix congestion in the area with this additional um growth in this area. And Mrs. D R O Z DZ um was um concerned because um she lives off of Dogwood Acres and is wondering what's going to happen between Project Magic and the Point and having all that commercial around these um single family homes that will still be in there and be completely surrounded. Um and her last comment was we do not want to live in a business park. Um then on the assignment sheet um when I call your name if you will please come up to the dez um adjust the microphone as needed and state your name and address for the record and then you will have three minutes to address the planning commission and your time will s start as soon as you start speaking. Uh we ask that the rest of the attendees please refrain from interrupting the speaker. So would Mr. Chad Boils please come up? Uh my name is Chad Boils. Uh my address is 215 Lodge Road. Uh so it's that southern part that wasn't mentioned. Uh it was on the map earlier. Uh I'm kind of here on behalf of myself and my neighbors. There are five houses on Lodge Road. Uh it's a small unpaved dirt road with with just us on it. Um you know, even under current conditions with just regular weather and everything, we'll experience a lot of uh drainage

kind of coming in from 521. the main highway uh causing some ruting, some wash outs, and we work really hard to maintain that because it's our road, not maintained by uh county, state, anything like that. Uh and because of this, we're just kind of concerned about the the proposed resoning. Um we're not really well, I wasn't concerned that we would carry more traffic, but that line ran about halfway through Lodge Road, so right now it wouldn't be able to carry that traffic. It is a downhill gravel road. Um, but we're just concerned about all the land movement, uh, the grading, the land clearing, and how that would affect, uh, water flow, um, and kind of worsen any issues, just normal issues that we already have with with, uh, weathering of that road that we like the residents of that road maintain. Um, it's a little bit concerning. We we definitely have some a aging neighbors and a couple of health issues. Uh so just thinking about making sure that road stays as as well kept as it can as we can keep it without any external uh drainage coming from all of the construction going on uh probably right against that uh that road. So, um just trying to think about that and we're trying to to make sure no further degradation um to to make any kind of uh no further degradation happens just to make sure we can have safe entry to our neighborhood. Uh and all of us have been on that. I'm the new guy on the road and I've been there for 28 years.

Um so yeah, uh you know, we just want to ask and make sure that drainage, storm water, all of that has been looked at. uh any studies have been completed. Um that's kind of our main concern with with keeping our road uh viable and and uh undamaged. Uh we're not necessarily proposed to or opposed to any of the the development. Um it's more of just making sure that, you know, our little community there that's been there forever remains kind of peaceful. Uh that was a lot larger than I was assuming in my head would be happening with a distribution center. I'm thinking of like, you know, big Amazon distribution centers. I know it won't be to that size, but uh you know, it's a little concerning thinking about all of that land being cleared out for that kind of uh space. So, um we're basically just asking for clear assurances that any changes uh to the drainage going into that road impacting our road um be considered and that any damage that occurs uh if this gets approved um that there is a defined plan and responsibility for those damages. So, thank you for your time.

Uh, thank you, Mr. Boyce, for your comments. Our next speaker is Miss Becky, and I'm not even going to pretend to pronounce your last name. Yes, I want to hear it.

Good evening. I'm Becky Dro and I live at 250 Dogwood Acres Road. The Project Magic reszoning application describes the surrounding property as follows. Across 521 is the MUSC Health Development. The south border is Lodge Road with a lodge and single family homes. The north side of Dogwood Acres is being developed into mixeduse. What is blatantly missing in that documentation is that there are single family homes on Dogwood Acres Road. Those homes range from a half a million to over a million dollars in value. While the physical onelane road of Dogwood Acres may prevent some of our homes from meeting the technical definition of being adjacent to the proposed Project Magic resoning and subsequent development, our front yards. Look at this property. As noted in the Project Magic documentation, north of Dogwood Acres Road is proposed mixeduse development. That's the point which is going to run along Dogwood Acres and then extend immediately behind all of our properties. If the point and project magic become reality, our community on dogwood acres becomes a group of homes swallowed up sitting in the middle of a business park. I ask that the members of the planning commission sit with the maps, especially the county planning map so that you can see the home sites on Dogwood acres in this area. Ensure that you fully understand what is proposed with the point and project magic and the impact to the homes and the families that live on Dogwood acres. Consider this with the resoning evaluation as well as subsequent development. Again, we do not want to live in the middle of a business park. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Say it again. Dro Thank you, ma'am. Ma'am, is that Irish? Polish. I'm Polish. I I recognized it. All right. Well, that concludes um our citizens comments and respond to speak. So, we now consider ourselves out of public hearing. Um, commissioners, you have before you item number, we ask questions of the economic development director. Um, we still have we still have some we still have some more.

Sure, why not? Oh, how about how about you do it once you get a motion and a second and discussion and then maybe those That's what I was gonna say. Don't we have more discussion? We can All right. So, we have before us item number RZ 2026 0152 project MA magic. Um, do I have a motion to put it on the table? I will motion to approve. I have a second. I'll second it. All right. So, um, so we have before us item number RZ2026152, project magic. Commissioner Lou, you had another question.

Actually, it doesn't have to uh be for the director. Um, I can ask staff. Um, how many homes are on Dogward Acres Lane?

That's a great question. I Thank you. I I do not know off the top of my head. I definitely would have to do a quick search to give that answer to you. Is it possible to ask someone in the audience who might know? I I looked at it on on on the county GIS web page and Google earlier today. I think there's about five or six homes out there. Does that sound about right? Is it more? I think seven. Seven. Okay. So, yeah. Thank you very much. I came to see when you said sheets were not there. Okay. Um we're already out of public hearing though.

Yeah. You've closed the public hearing, but there is this is a resoning. That is a recommendation to county council. So there will be another public hearing in front of county council on this. I'm sorry, M chair. Can we not open it up? I hate to have anybody disenfranchised. Well, you need to amend the agenda to do so. I'm willing to do that. I hate to have someone come all the way here and not get to speak. It It's unconventional, but Oh, that's me. If you all decide to do it, it will take a twothirds vote. All right. And no, no, nothing personal, but do we motion?

We'll need to make a motion to reopen the public hearing. It needs a second and then a two-thirds majority vote in order to pass. I would like to make a motion to open public comments or reopen the public hearing. Reopen the public hearing. Second it. All those in favor. Oh, wonderful. Passes four to zero. So, we will reopen public hearing. If you will please come up to the DS and state your name and address for the record and you'll have three minutes to speak. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. Thank you so much. I um and just for future reference, if if we say that and you haven't signed up, speak up at that moment and we'll let you come up and sign it. Thank you. I will. Uh

because we want everybody to get a chance to speak. Yeah. I mean, we made the trip down here because we're if you put that if the map is up, we're like the house that's cradled in the point and directly across the bay. So, I mean perhaps if they want to offer if somebody would like to offer names for the 1 180 Dogwood Acres Road and your name Jeannie Ser. Okay.

Um, you know, I could be bought out for four or five times the value of my property. But like we moved there, that's our retirement cabin because we have chickens and we want goats. That we specifically sought out and did not go places that weren't LDR because we want LDR and LDR neighbors, which is getting increasingly rare. We don't want Sun City. We don't want, you know, a a tenth of an acre lot that's available all over the place. Um, you know, it was very comforting to us that that was zoned LDR around that. Um, and like I I know um from talking to Mayor Buddy on our street that like a lot of um the I understand a lot of the property right on 521, you know, like you said, you know, might be highway businesses, but to go all the way back in there with um you know, big trucks and completely I mean, you know, it's not soul fab, but it's not, you know what I mean? Like it's to us it's as undesirable as that. Um and actually the beautiful lady in front of me said my suggestion is um that they look at adaptive reuse. They should go into a mill. We have how how many industries do we have that have gone away that are rotting? Why don't they go in and red re um do adaptive reuse and not change the zoning that we all of us on that road moved to that road for that zoning in that environment. Go to a closed dog food factory. go to a closed, you know, mill and adaptively reuse it and take something that's garbage, that's an eyesore, and do what you want with it. Don't steal our residential land where we can have chickens and goats and the enjoyment that we had a right to expect when we purchased that property and what was zoned all around us. You know, the point was already we we was already kind of a surprise. Do you know what I mean? don't think anyone has the right to,

like I said, you you want to offer multiples of what our homes are worth. You want to offer five or six times what our homes are worth, and we'll just try to find that somewhere else. I'm possibly open to that, you know, for a million bucks or whatever. Um, but that should be part of the equation. If you ruin the use of our lots by completely sandwiching them between 18-wheelers, concrete, noises, businesses, you know, that's I feel strongly. Thank you, ma'am. Do I need to have her sign the Yes, ma'am. Let's have her sign just so it can be attached to the record.

Yes. May borrow my pen. I just want to thank you for actually one of y'all brought up the dog people before I did and I appreciate that a lot. All right, we will now consider ourselves back out of public hearing. Do we need to vote on anything else? No, ma'am. I do believe and and the secretary can tell me we did have a motion on the floor. Correct. for Okay. Did we have a second? Yes. Okay. So, you do have the motion in the second. So, you are in the discussion period again.

Yes. So, we're back into the discussion period. Do we have any more discussion or comments about this project?

Yes, ma'am. Um, I find this very difficult because it's on 521 and of course it's a growth area and at first glance you'd see it would seem like what's the problem? But I'm looking at all of this LDR surrounding it and we have made decisions in the past and we're constantly being told that what our criteria are and what our criteria are not to make these decisions. And one of the main one is what are the neighboring uses and I see all of this LDR and yes things change life changes but I can't imagine doing my due diligence to find a place to live where I'm not going to be surrounded by all kinds of regional business for lack of another term. And then to find out after I've lived there and established my homestead that it can the rug can just be pulled out from under me and it can switch like uh Commissioner Tinkleberg said not to neighboring neighbor business not to general business but all the way from LDR to regional business and to imagine even though I thank the applicant for adding and giving us the information that we didn't have so it doesn't seem came uh as cloudy, but unfortunately to have a warehouse and semis and everything. Again, if it was at the front of 521, I think everybody expects that's how land is going to be developed um in that corridor. I just have a really tough time looking at all this LDR and being asked to change it. And I just wanted to say that our council people are elected to represent their constituents. We are appointed by those

council people. And so it seems to me that that duty continues to us that should we not do what makes sense for the benefit of our residents within the law when considering a zoning change. Thank you. Yes, ma'am.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I want to remind the commission that while now they disclose the use and we have an understanding of what the intent is for the property, that's all good and well, but this is not a preliminary plat approval. Um, we're looking at a reasonzoning. So, I know things happen and and it changes once it's reszoned. That's what it is for forever. And when you look at that forever list of uses, um not only is the use they've presented concerning, but it would forever be changed. Um and our job as planning commissioners is to think of what is the best use for this piece of property? Does it make sense for the area? Does it follow um the comp plan? And when I'm reading that, I'm thinking it's more neighborhood business. it's what's in the proximity um to the surrounding areas which we know is residential. So I'm you know disagree with staff's recommendation um for approval. I I think that it's too big of a step. Um, something else that hasn't come up yet is when you are looking at that list of uses under regional business, um, we have to consider that we're currently under a moratorum for residential and there's two residential uses, um, that fall within that zoning of multifamily and um, uh, residential um, care facilities. So, we have to think about what we're we're doing with that to to not be in conflict. Um, it would be a direct violation. So, overall, I'm just not sure that it's the best fit. Um, I wish the business well, but I just I can't imagine that part of 521 having a giant warehouse. when you drive down 521, it's

businesses and eventually future medical um with a hospital there to help meet the needs of our day-to-day lives and and this just doesn't meet that criteria or what I read um in our comp plan. Thank you.

Um I'd like to comment to looking over the uses allowed in there with the warehouse and distribution. I already looked about that. If this were even a little farther north or a little farther south, I could probably understand it more, but this is literally directly across 521 from what's now going to be a regional hospital. So, you're going to have tractor trailers coming on and off 521, literally right in front of a hospital where people need to be able to get in and get out easily. I mean, we've all had families and ourselves be in emergency situations and want to get to the hospital as quick as possible and if all of a sudden, you know, you miss the light because there's an 18-wheeler sitting there trying to turn left at an uncontrolled intersection. So, um, like I said, I'm I'm I'm all for growth and and redoing things, but when I look at all of the possible uses on this on that chart and with the with it being just literally right across the road from the hospital, um, it's it's concerning to me. Do I have any more questions or comments? All right. Um, yes, ma'am. I don't know where this fits in. I uh we have received a memo. Well, staff has um it went to uh to Brian Folk and um Dr. Willis and saying that they that the economic development office has vetted their they vet all the projects and um they have the confidence they want to assure us that we have the that there's the confidence to move forward. Um

just a moment and they want they look forward to working with the commission to ensure that project magic 521 those that follow are set up for success from the start. It may be innocuous but it just our job is not to s to assure success of any business as a planning commission. That is not our position. We can work hand inand with planning and economic development and so forth but we are not tasked with guaranteeing success of any business.

We're not a rubber stamp. Thanks for saying that. All right. Um, any more comments? So, commissioners, we have before us item number RZ2026152, project management. Um, can we have a roll call vote, please? Juniana Tinkllinberg against. Lynette Henson against. Michelle Richards against. Francis Lou against.

So this motion is um denied unanimously. Uh this item will be referred to county council for final decision and the applicant will be informed of the date and the time. That now uh concludes public hearing items for recommendations to council. Uh the next item on our agenda is public hearing items for planning commission decision. Um the first item is case number SD 20241114 the point uh commercial preliminary plat.

All right that one is me. So given an overview of the project located along Charlotte highway and it southern border runs alongward acres that's just under a 45 acre site and the intent is to create a multi-partial commercial development uh with a central shared access and on the left hand side of the screen is the notice map. Here are two locations photos of the site looking to the north and south along Charlotte Highway for the adjacent uses. To the north is more general business zoning district with non-conforming residential. To the south is low density residential. Some of that is also the project magic site which you all just heard and is has the star located on the screen. Uh to the east is general business, neighborhood business and lowdensity residential. And to the west is also more lowdensity residential. Now looking at the uh site plan, it proposes to create a total of 12 commercial lots. Uh the exact uses for these proposed lots is still to be determined, but has to conform to what's allowed within the general business uh zoning district standards. Uh these lots would gain access off Charlotte Highway on Internal Drive and Dogwood Acres Road. You can see that on the right hand side of the screen. for the technical review committee or TRC. The site plan has undergone both review during a sketch plan P phase and the preliminary plan review. Uh the only comment right now is a conditional approval from SCDOT stating that an encroachment permit would be required during the process. Uh for the traffic impact analysis, this has already been submitted to the county for review and was approved in February of 2025. for the comprehensive plan. Uh this site is a little unique that it falls into two future land use categories, both a growth area and core mixed use. Both of these future land use categories do allow the proposed uh commercial growth.

And on the right hand side is the uh subject parcel with the split by two future land use designations. for the comprehensive plan goals. It does meet panhandle area goal 1.1 which is direct uh new development into these growth areas on the future land use map. So at this time staff recommends approval of this preliminary plant. I'm available for questions and the applicant is also here and available. Thank you. Does anyone have questions for staff? I know we talked about this in the workshop and I do not remember what the answer was out of the three entrances. Which one's going to have a stoplight? Yeah,

I was looking into that earlier today. So, the one with a light is going to be the one that's a parallel or across the street from a Thousand Oaks. Okay. Is that the upper one? Which one? That's the central one. So, there's It's the middle one. Yeah, the middle one. Yeah. Let's see if I can get that back up. Yeah, the middle one is the one that's going to have a full access light and uh then bottom is right in writer out and then I think the top is full access but non signalized but but the applicant can speak to more of that as well. It looks like uh you're going to improve Dogwood Acre Lane at least till the back part of theirs to help the residents living behind there. We brought up the current county standards.

Is the applicant here? Would you like to come up to the DS? State your name and address.

Good evening, commission. My name is Brian Roller. I live at 5623 Royal True Court in Charlotte, North Carolina, 28277. Uh I'm here representing uh the Point Project. I think tonight what's pretty important here is we're not asking for a land use change. We're asking to operate within the existing zoning classification, which is GB, which led uh the investment group and the owners to purchase this about two and a half years ago. So, we've been working with staff over the course of the past two years and have gotten to this point um to go through and really diligently go through the traffic study, really look at the property, um really try to figure out what is the highest and best use here under GB zoning, and we're willing to commit to everything under GB zoning. Um I do have empathy for um the folks that are surrounding this because they're in a nice little enclave right now. We called it the donnut hole um because it's kind of surrounded by things. Uh I do want to make note that where the property lines are and again I don't want to tell them because there's a lot of emotion tied up in the properties but there is a significant drainage feature that falls maybe 30 40 feet down and then comes back up. There's a lot of topo here. Um and their properties are probably sitting 30 or 40 feet above on this side. Our property is sitting about 30 or 40 feet above on that side. and those buffers and those streams and everything within that area are protected and are not going to be developed. There's only certain portions of the of the actual parcel that will be developed. I just kind of wanted to point that out and you can see that within the dotted and dash lines there. Um, we've obviously taken into consideration storm water drainage. Um, we are committing to uh a number of off-site traffic improvements. I actually brought my civil engineer folk here to talk about any technical issues related to uh site civil engineering as well as Patrick Monroe, our traffic engineer that performed that traffic study and ultimately got it approved. So, if there are any true technical questions, I've got the folks here that

are much smarter to me to answer those questions for you. Um, we are committed to pretty significant infrastructure improvements related to sewer. Um we are improving um good bid on Possum Hollow, a main sewer line as part of this project uh as well as a lift station improvement uh in Bridge Mill in coordination with Lancaster Water and Sewer uh district. And so are some kind of more ma uh master infrastructure improvements from a county level that are associated with this project as well. Um we're extremely excited about the project. um obviously was acquired a number of years ago and we're working diligently. Appreciate working with staff and all the different agencies to get where we are today and with that we'd ask for approval but obviously I'm here to answer any more questions that you may have.

I have probably an unusual question. Are you how are you going to where you're improving Dogwood Acres Lane? How are you going to like stop people from people who try to limit the access so that people in this business park aren't going down to these people's houses? So, it is a public road right now. Um, and what we are doing is dedicating rightaway in order to um straighten that out. I don't know if you've been down Dogwood. It looks like a very nice driveway winding out of trees and whatnot. From a public safety perspective, um that's not too safe for the general public. Um, so we're dedicating right away in order to straighten it out.

Um, I don't have anything planned at this moment to say, "Hey, I can limit a traffic uh folks from from going down that way." We do have a culde-sac down there. If you do pull in, you can you can pull around within our property. Um, but I don't have anything to say that on a public road that I can actually put control on a on a public road at this point. Did that answer your question? Yes. I I'm I'm in the exact same situation they are. My my road is almost a mile long, dirt and gravel, and they're talking about developing up at the front, and I'm like, "Okay, now how many I already have people coming down my road for no reason." Would you have any suggestions? I'd be willing to listen for suggestions. I don't know if it's a speed bump or what it is, but my my suggestion is a shotgun, but

yeah. Will that road be uh accepted by the county or whose responsibility will that road be? Right now, I don't think maintenance is being accepted by the county. So, everything is privately maintained. So, are you going to be responsible for it or are the citizens of Dogwood going to be responsible for it? Great question.

So, the county would be responsible for all repairs and maintenance going forward. Yes. All right. But I don't think the county the county is currently not maintaining this road, are they? But if it's already a county road and they are maintaining it and I don't know that we would need to talk with public works, then it would stay a county road. There is an ordinance in place that talks about taking on other roads that are built in in accordance with subdivisions or PDDs or what have you. But if this is already a county road, then it is not subject to that.

Okay. Thank you. To me, that's an important question because with an entity such as yours coming in, if this were to fall to the residents of Dogwood to be repairing it and maintaining it, whereas they're getting the minimal amount of use from it, it doesn't seem right. I think if it's a county road that it's already, right, that's why I'd like to make sure, but no one seems to know for sure. You know that, you know, anything that we're building will be maintained. We're building county standards. question. Yeah, I'd like to maintain county roads, but it sounds like there's an ordinance that's being considered and it's already in place. So, so let me be clear with county roads. There are accepted county roads, right?

There are also prescriptive easements. So, there are legal requirements around those. So, if it is a county road and we are currently maintaining it, then it is our responsibility whether it's a prescriptive easement or whether it is an actual deed road. So to your question, no one really knows the answer. We don't know exactly how it is done, but if the county is currently maintaining it, then it is considered a county road and it is our responsibility. That my only concern is the if it is not a county road, right? But I believe everyone is saying it is a county road, but that doesn't make it a county road. I'm just everybody is saying it is, but I mean this applicant doesn't know for sure.

Guess what discussion? It is a county road. Yeah. I just don't know how the maintenance is is currently surrounding it. It is a county road. What it will be what it will be. What it is today and what it will be are going to be. Okay. No, if it is today, that's fine. It just seemed like that there was some concern as to whether it was and when you said if Yes. Yeah. Just confirming in our GIS. Yes, it is a county road. Thank you. Then that that solves the problem. I just didn't want the residents on the hook for anything. Thank you.

Yes. Um Hi. Thank you for being here. Um, I was looking through it, um, comparing it with the UDO living up in Indian Land, specifically the highway corridor overlay district. Um, looking through what's required um, for that overlay district are sidewalks and pedestrian amenities. Um, and I might have overlooked it on the plans, but I didn't see in the notes or graphically um, portrayed where all commercial with gross indoor floor areas over 40,000 square feet um, are supposed to have improved common um, pedestrian areas. And then it lists criteria of what those could be. Pocket parks, plazas, greenways, um, playgrounds. I didn't see that on the plan. So, are those included? Yes, please.

Um, Claire Folk, 2328 Linear Avenue in Charlotte. Um, so to answer your question, the when the future out parcels develop, depending on the size of those buildings, what the uses are, they will be required to meet those requirements per the UDO. Um but for the scope of this project which is really just the infrastructure out parcels um we're required to just meet the scope of that project. I will point out we are meeting the required 10% open space that is what is required of this scope. Does that answer your question?

Um it does. I think that having some sort of not notation on your plans to make sure that that's included. um this doesn't you know we're we're voting on the final the final draft right and then it goes into more details with each out parcel we're looking at it as a whole and that is something that I didn't see and consider it left out any other questions would you suggest any type of language to address that

um if you want to look it up In the UDO, it's the highway corridor overlay. Um, it's 4.3.2 sidewalks and pedestrian amenities. And then it lists criteria. I mean, I don't want to speak to what you're willing to put in there. So, I would rather not list that. I mean, because it there's, you know, options for plazas, playgrounds, and I don't I don't want to speak to what you're agreeing to. Absolutely. So, we I think we talked about this. So that's why I was just having a little sidebar here. Absolutely. Where are the entrances to the north? There's kind of like a triangle that it's not really being used as anything at the moment where you're in your main entrance. You see what I'm talking

I actually looked at that and I was hoping that that was not what you were going to tell me is your pedestrian friendly right by 521 improved open space. You got that interact locating it. But I think we can consider looking at it in the area that we just talked about. Maybe that's not what you were looking for, but I do think that there can be something associated.

I do see where that area can be captured for your common open space totals. Um, but that does not meet the criteria of the highway corridor. Um, this specifically is an improved area that is pedestrian oriented, which I I don't think makes sense. right by the busy thorough affair of 521.

Anything else? I think just adding to your point that with the um proximity of the hospital and emergency vehicles right flying through that it's not just a busy thoroughare but if people aren't getting over Y emergency vehicle, which there will be many,

right? I mean, I think we're, you know, we're looking at this as a master plan and you have great opportunity for wonderful pedestrian amenities to be included, especially with the proximity to the hospital. Um, I mean, when you simply do a Google search of the point, your marketing graphics available online are incredible. And I mean it it seems that the potential at least from what you're trying to visually portray is there. So I I think um it's important to be included in these plans. Um for me they're incomplete without it. So are you saying that they don't?

Yes. Can we confirm if that um that statute applies because the first part was about a 40,000 foot building. Is that correct? Yes, it's it would only apply if the square footage for that part. So on that partial for that structure would be over 40,000 square feet. So I'm not sure how many users you have that may hit that threshold, but I don't know anything can change, but yeah. So then, so instead of graphically showing it, could we add a note saying that it would apply something,000 square feet just to meet the Yes.

Yes. to cover it within the highway corridor overlay because I was looking for it and could not find it. So I I actually assume because it wasn't um it was more an out parcel layout that I would find it in the notes and it was missing. Yeah. Thank you. Any other questions? Right. Thank you. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

All right. We will now consider ourselves into public hearing. No one has signed up to speak, so we will consider ourselves out of public hearing. Um, so commissioners, we have before us item number SD 2024 1114, the point commercial plat. Um, do I hear a motion? I hear a motion. Can we make a motion and and add to that? to make sure. Well, let's get the motion and get the second and then we'll

make a motion. Make a motion. Do I have a second? Second. All right. So, do we have any comments, questions from the commissioners? Before we vote on that, I would like to Well, that's what I said. Do you have any comments or questions? Yes. Before we vote, yes. Make it clear of of of what Commissioner Chinklinberg was talking about. if we could just have that in the writing as of the final stages that it was going to be compliant with the UDO. So, do you want to make an amendment? Do we need to make an amendment for that? Sure.

It sounds like where you're going is a potential approval with a condition. Okay. Yes. So, I So I So we have before us item number SD 2024114 the point commercial preliminary plat which we are going to have a roll call vote with the condition that they will add the comment that any building over 40,000 square feet will meet the additional highway corridor requirements.

No one so the motion was just to approve at the moment. So, someone would either need to make that amendment or the commissioner can withdraw her initial motion and change it to be an approval with a condition that it meet the highway corridor overlay standards. Either way, whichever way you'd like to do it. Um, we can revoke the first one and then just make it if you'd like to state for the record that you're withdrawing your initial motion and the second and then we can start back over that way. Yes, ma'am. I would like to withdraw my first motion and the second and then with the condition um make the movement with the conditions that what was the 40,000

to include um all of the improvements of the highway corridor overlay district and its capacity. Yes. Yes. And I I don't know if I have to be the one to say I withdraw my second. If you'd like to. I think we've taken care of it at this point. Just wanted to make sure that we were all good. You're good. Okay. Keep us in line. So, I just wanted to make sure. So, now you've got a motion to approve with a condition. So, you need a second and then back to discussion and then ultimate vote.

I'll second this one. All right. So, we have a first and a second um for um item number SD 2024114, the point um with the condition that they will add a note to make sure that they meet the highway corridor overlay requirements. put a note on their plans. We have a first and we have a second.

Okay. Um, so I I live up in this district and I just want the public to understand that this is a by right development. So, um, as a as a commission, we're a little, you know, sometimes our opinions, not that they don't matter, but we're limited. And I just want folks out there to understand um that sometimes what we're doing sitting up here is very hard and because we're we have to look at things based on the UDO and if the plans presented to us if they meet it or if they do not and um I just wanted to communicate that.

Thank you. And that's the difference between the reszoning that we had which is not byite that that required a reszoning and this one does not. So that's why these two look like they're being handled willy-nilly but it's because of zoning and by right and so forth and they're in different stages of the development process.

All right. So, one more time, we have before us item number SD 2024114, the point commercial preliminary plat with the condition that a note will be added to the plans that they will meet the uh requirements of the highway corridor overlay. Um, we have a first, we have a second. Can we have a roll call vote, please? Judiana Tinklinberg or Lynette Henson for Michelle Richards four. Francis Lou four.

Motion passes four to zero unanimously. Um this is a final this is the final decision on this item. So that concludes u public hearing items for planning commission decision. Next item on the agenda is status of items tabled, recommended, deferred, or held. I just wanted to thank the applicant again for coming prepared to answer all of our questions and to work with us. Thank you. I can handle this recurrent segment. There have not been any updates with either one of these items, so they're back here on this slide again. Yep,

that was easy enough. So, yes. All right. Um I think I'm Yep. Um we don't have anything under items. So uh do I hear a motion to adjurnn? Yes, ma'am. Do we have an other I can't find my Okay. Um just can we ask that planning commission members respond as to whether they're going to be at a meeting or not? Um, so that

just using me for an example, if I I didn't answer because I am always here unless I let you know I'm not. But had I written in and said I would be there, you would know even though it was almost six o'clock I was going to be there. And just so that people aren't waiting to see if people are stuck in traffic. if we could all just official if something could go out from staff that we all officially indicate whether we will be at a meeting or not and then just follow up if something happens if we cannot make it. I can get April gets back in the office and work on that. Great. Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah, I wish because we were I was really going to be distressed if we didn't have a quorum tonight and we had to table all of this. I apologize for cutting it so close. It was never my intent, but all right. Quarter to 5 turns into 5:15 like that. I feel like at one point we did have an email before letting We let Jennifer know. It was right when I started on It's All right. Do I hear a motion to adjurnn? Motion to adjurnn. Do I hear a second? Second.

Got ahead of myself. Motion passes four to zero. This meeting is adjourned. Thank you everyone.