Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone and welcome to the July 15th regular meeting of the North Augusta Planning Commission. If I could please have the commissioners roll call. Aaron Slade.

Bob Bigger.

Jesse Elliott.

Lisa Christie.

Chelsea Waddell.

And I'm your chair, Christine Crawford. All right. So if we could please have, I noticed one change in the minutes on the, let me see, I wrote it down. On the Gregory Lee. It was PP24-004. On the vote, I voted against the continuance, so there should have been whatever the number was to one on the continuance. So are there any other corrections or edits? All right, so with the aforementioned change, can I please have a motion to approve the minutes?

Motion to approve. All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

All opposed?

All right, thank you. All right, Mr. Paradise, do we have any changes or updates to the agenda this evening?

No, ma'am.

There being no changes, I'll explain that process for those who are with us. As we hear the applications, we will ask Mr. Paradise to share with us what he feels we need to know, ask, the commissioners may ask questions, then we'll have the applicant come forward, share whatever information they would like for us to also consider. ask commissioners to have any questions at that time. Then we will open it up for the public. We ask that our guests talk for about no more than two minutes and allow time for their neighbors to share their perspectives as well as sharing new vantage points. So if there is something else that we need to consider besides the thing that your neighbor has just shared, to please make sure that you share it with us as well during that two minutes. And we have all community guests come up and ask all of their questions at once, then ask the applicant to return to the microphone to answer. We ask that everyone who comes to the microphone, please give your name and address, and make sure that you are speaking into the mic so that those who are joining us out in the land of Facebook will be sure to hear you. All right, with that being said, Mr. Paradise, we'll start with PP24-001.

Yes, ma'am. This is a major subdivision application for the cottages at Rose Hill. It's about 24.42 acres. It's R7.

It's 66 single-family detached lots.

with a minimum size of 7,000 square feet. These are the parcels in play, and this is the preliminary layout. There was a variance approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals February 3, 2026, to allow a waiver for the block length. You see the road there going through halfway up. And originally, that was a cul-de-sac at the end of that and didn't connect. After working through it, the variance was approved with it being like this. That reduces the block length. But to be honest with you, staff couldn't see how we could reduce it anymore. So that was approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals. And the reason, and you're going to have a block waiver later this evening, so let me explain the difference. This one is being developed under the new code, so to speak. One that you will hear later, with a block waiver involved, is under the old code. It was actually being engineered when we adopted the current code that we're in. So we don't change the rules in the middle of the game. So they're under the old code where that gives the authority to the Planning Commission to grant that waiver. So anyway, the road names, well, it's off of Old Edgefield Road. Part of the process is for y'all to approve the road names, which Flagstaff Street and Knockout Drive have been reserved by Aiken County 911, and those are the names we would like y'all to approve.

So it is Flagstaff because in here it says Falstaff.

Excuse me, Falstaff. Okay.

Yes.

and there was a traffic impact analysis that was done on it for 66 new colleges and also a 56-unit duplex that's currently under construction, and there was no road improvements that was necessary to maintain the level of sea or better for the traffic on Old Edgefield Road. And these are just slides I have for it.

Are there any questions for Ms. Paradise at this time? All right, there being none, if the applicant could please come forward and give your name and address.

Yes, Matt Eshelbach, 5235 Riverwood Parkway, Evans, Georgia, 30809.

Thank you, Mr. Bach. What would you like for us to know about this application?

Like I said, we've already been through the variance hearing, and that was approved, so I think this one's kind of straightforward. It's just single family lots, and Got connectivity to the Rose Hill Townhome development that's adjacent here that connects to Talisman Road with an additional entrance that ties back into Old Edgefield Road on the other side as well. So there's kind of two entrances here, and the Talisman is the road that connects down to the Pruitt Health Care Center.

Are there any questions from the session back at this point?

if you have a seat i'll see if there any comments from the public and then ask you to come back up to respond um at the end all right are there any public questions or comments on this application

Okay, there being none in the audience, we did receive an email from Navar Bartz. And Ms. Bartz was in support of the housing development and hopes that as development increases, there will be increased conveniences and businesses out her way. So I wanted to make sure that I shared that with you all as well. All right. That being said, commissioners, let's discuss and have a motion.

I'll make a motion to recommend with the conditions. One, the approved waiver applies only to the subdivision plan and will not apply to any future development on the site should this plan not be developed. If the preliminary plat is substantially revised, the preliminary plat And any additional waivers will be required. Planning Commission approval as determined by Planning Director. Number two, the approval includes certification of the use of the road names Knockout Drive and Falstaff Street. And number three, final approval of the major subdivision preliminary application will be granted by the staff when the plans are in substantial compliance with the requirements of North Augusta Development Code and South Carolina Department of Transportation approvals.

Second. All right.

It has been moved and seconded. Any further discussion?

Comments?

All right. There being none, all in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

All opposed?

All right.

Thank you.

All right. Next, we have PP24-002, Carolina Lakes Phase 1. Mr. Paradise, what would you like for us to know about this application?

Yes, ma'am. You may remember this one from last month. There is an email from the engineer that I laid on the dais for y'all on this project. The project is located off of Gregory Lake Road. This is the subject parcel here. You'll notice the only access point that this lot has is at the curve on Gregory Lake Road. And again, this gives you kind of the layout of how that is. It's 92.03 acres. It's zoned R14, so it's the largest lot size that we have in our zoning. It's 110 detached single-family homes with an average lot size of 6,475 square feet. There is a waiver request that you all decide on this one. to the block length to be 1,350 feet from the required 650 feet. And the planners have looked at this. I have looked at this, looking at ways to reduce that block length. And while the previous one, looking at the elevations and all, I could make a connection. looking at it, there was a connection that I saw that was feasible to make. On this one, I don't see that. And on this one, when you look at the future build, you'll see those expanding and connecting the blocks in the future. So that is a waiver that y'all are requested to... and need to approve that, as well as approving the development, if you all so desire. The traffic impact analysis showed that there's no mitigation required for the first 110 homes. It has one access point on Gregory Lake Road. It requires no immediate offsite roadway widening or intersection improvements. It talks about continued coordination with DOT at Martintown and Gregory Lake Road. We did make the recommendations for approval. We did have some questions about the connection in the curve. And since that time, I have, y'all have some information there. And this afternoon I did talk to the Greenwood office of SCDOT. I talked with Andrew Vickery there. He stated that they had done an on-site review and the proposed entrance met the site distance requirements of SCDOT. The actual permit, has not been issued because they're waiting on approval from the Planning Commission for the block length, and also the Department of Environmental Services. And those are some forms that the engineering firm will provide to them as they go further. So any questions for me? Thank you. And there is the letter, too, from Attorney Zier that I forwarded to y'all and is included in the packet as well.

Thank you. Will the applicant please come forward and give your name and address?

Trying to do a little better this time, getting closer to the mic. All right, thank you. Robert Titus, 4424 Columbia Road, Martinez, Georgia. The engineer of record on this. I just wanted to reiterate what Tommy said, South Carolina DOT, we did meet them out there to check the site distance and the curve. It meets the site distance requirements. I did want to point out one thing, a couple of things. What we're showing here is a master plan. It's a conceptual plan. There are things that we have to go through before we can finalize it, but we came up with this master plan so we could give a maximum potential number of lots that would be developed so that our traffic engineer could do a study to tell us when certain things would be triggered. It's liable to change some. Probably going to be less lots, I believe. And then it's our understanding that somebody's built a house on one of the potential access points off Country Club Road. Other than that, as far as the block length goes, because of the hilly nature of the property, it's hard to have shorter block lengths. That requires flatter slopes. So then you have a lot more earthwork, a lot more issues with moving dirt, impacts to areas that we want to try to preserve.

Are there any questions for the applicants at this point in time?

all right thank you are there any comments or questions from the public with regards to this application good afternoon my name is troy temples i live at 1903 locust drive which is on gregory lake road for 20 years i lived on warren court which is right off of gregory lake road so i've been in this area for 30 years i am from north augusta i am not anti-growth However, I have not seen evidence of a traffic study on Gregor Lake Road in many, many years. And I don't think, unless you live on that road, you know how much traffic and the speed that travels up and down that road. Also, I have a concern about the curve, which has been the location of quite a few accidents over the years. And the back discharge of The future neighborhood, anybody who's ever tried to get to Mount Vintage to play around the golf during school time, either school letting in or letting out, that is a big pain as well. And have we considered, I don't know if y'all know the future of the old North Augusta Country Club, but have we considered the impact of the traffic that's going to take place there? Thank y'all.

Thank you. And if the applicant could please come up and respond with any additional, and I think in answer to maybe the back to church question.

So the traffic study was done by a subconsult that we hired, and it's basically, you know, it looked at all the traffic, traffic's going to be generated, And the impact study was approved by South Carolina DOT. I understand there are concerns because it is a sharp curve. I think the posted speed limit's 30 miles an hour. Like I said last time, I drove it several times just to kinda see what it was to make sure. Before I met with South Carolina DOT on site to check the site distance. And if you get up 35, 45 miles an hour, it's a little tricky for sure. So I can imagine, you know, if people aren't following the speed limit, that it could be an issue. So there was a traffic study does represent traffic along Gregory Lake, did the analysis, so, and all that's been approved by Sci-Con.

And I would just have you clarify, he was talking about the back exit as well. When you developed future phases, you would have to do additional traffic studies, correct?

Yeah, I mean, like I was saying, this is conceptual. maximum potential number of lots so we could get a feel for if something was needed on either of the three at the time access points that we knew up front. we know that we have to modify the traffic impact study for additional phases based on what we end up coming up with once the property is acquired, once we kind of get to that point. So we will have to modify the traffic impact study. For the additional, for the first phase, and that's why we selected 110 lots because I think at 120 or 14 or something like that is when they wanted us to have a second exit. And at the time, The property wasn't known to be able to connect to the road, so we cut it off.

Any other? All right, thank you. Thank you, ma'am.

If I may, on the traffic study, it was done 4-9 of 25. And on this project, or that's whenever the engineer

stamped it.

And on this project, as you know, we're using the old code, so it's been around a while. And they did a traffic study originally and that study had gotten stale. So when they resubmitted, that study was over a year, a couple years old. The city actually required them to go back and do an updated study that included all of the development that had been done in that gap there. So if that helps you any with the traffic study.

All right, thank you. Mrs. Templeton, that you can find, it's part of our packet as well, so that you can access it on the web or get a copy from it for the copy of it from the planning office.

Thank you. You're welcome.

All right. All right, are there any discussion, comments, and then a motion, if so inclined?

So overall I like that it's large lot. The plan, I know it's just a proposal I go home that way every night. I've driven it and really paid attention. Nobody goes 30 miles an hour. And I know that's part of the traffic study. And I know Gregory Landing is our new development on that road. And I don't know that the curve or that will impact Gregory Landing at all, Turn Lane or whatever. We know, I think Crawford Home Builders has a county-only neighborhood going in off Gregory Landing. I think the sign was up this week for approval. We know the Country Club. Should be something sometime in the future that will add to traffic.

Ms. Lay, if I may, the Country Club, remember, is owned by the city. Correct. And it will be recreational.

Correct. And Blackson has some property for sale. I'm going to say 30 maybe units available in that hole back there. I'm not exactly sure. So I think those future things would impact this entrance versus Gregory Landing, which is the new. So... And I've done some research. I know the attorney said, is there some case study to say, you know, because one of our duties is not necessarily health and safety, but a little bit to look out. And we know people have been killed and injured on that curve. So I'm still a no on it. Personally, I just think it's dangerous. But I like the neighborhood. I like the proposal. I think we've got some alternate entrance options. I just don't like it on that curve.

Any other comments or discussion?

Following up on what I talked about last month when we looked at this, again, I don't think this is an ideal location for a neighborhood entrance. Again, as Commissioner Slade just said, there have been fatalities right there. I would... encourage the developer to Keep that in consideration. I said, you know, I think there's an opportunity here by putting some streetlights in front of the the development or Again, it looks like there will be houses backing up to that curb so I'm It's hard for me to vote against something that the SCDOT has approved as being valid and within guidelines, but my hope is that the developer, in accessing this point, will take all that into consideration. you know, put some lights and some open, you know, the entrance to the development that will raise people's attention and hopefully slow folks down as they go around that curve. So, again, I don't think I can vote against it. I don't think it's a good idea, but, again, I don't think without any other studies we've got anything to go against what the SEDOT has already approved.

All right. Anyone else? All right, if I could have a motion, please.

I'll make a motion to approve PP24-004, Carolina Lakes Phase I, as submitted.

Is there a second?

Second.

It has been moved and seconded.

Does that include the waiver approval? And does that include road names? I forgot to include those.

Yes, given all conditional Items that are outstanding are satisfied to the approval of city staff and including the waiver request.

And the road names?

Yes, sir.

Sorry. And the road names.

All right. So then let me get a second again, please. Second. On the revised motion. All right. So it has been moved and seconded. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All opposed?

Nay.

All right.

Thank you.

All right. If we are on to the hive section three.

This one also should look familiar to you. That's my notes up here. All right. This is for residential section three. It is about 65.65 acres with a density of 2.04 dwelling units per acre. You see the lots that we're talking about here where they back up to the interstate, and it also comes down below that, and this is the section also that will connect to Pinion Road. That Pinion Road access is critical for public safety access.

Let's see here.

This gives you an idea here. This one, you may remember a PD modification that came through a few months ago, and it was approved. Y'all recommended approval. And it also was approved by city council. The adjustment was by ordinance 202609, and it reduced the minimum lot sizes in section C and D down to 5,400 square feet, 45 feet in width, and 120 feet in depth. allows the preservation of the steep terrain and woodlands to be part of an HOA green space rather than transferring that to private ownership. And as you see there, it puts a buffer. Probably one of the more important things is it puts a buffer between the interstate and the houses and the lots. They won't be clearing all the way up to the interstate. Likewise, in the middle of the circle, as I call it, you don't have lots backing up each other. You'll have green space that separates those as well. The vehicle circulation is by Yellow Jacket Boulevard and Knob Cone Avenue and West Avenue. There will be the traffic light will be working at the entrance to the hive by the time these get finished. And also the knob cone intersection improvements. They have improved, also made improvements on knob cone with turn lanes and a de-cell lane there. There is a waiver request. On this one, requiring one street tree per every 40 feet of frontage within the public right-of-way. What they have come into is a conflict with utilities in the right-of-way. So in lieu of putting the tree in the right-of-way, they want to put one tree in each yard. That would be similar to the new code. And you would put one tree in the new yard in the front yard, and that would be in addition to any of the required landscaping requirements for the residential lot. And also certification of the names High Place and Orchard Place.

Any questions for me?

There being none, if the applicant could please come forward.

Hey, how are y'all doing? Good, how are you?

I'm Jonathan Hornick with Stanley Martin Homes, 2743 Perimeter Parkway, Augusta, Georgia.

What was your last name again? I'm sorry. Hornick.

H-O-R-N-I-C-K.

I'm Bert Fine with Cranston Engineering Group on the engineer record on the project 452 Ellis Street, Augusta, Georgia. As Tommy mentioned, you all saw this project come before you recently for a PD modification. Very little has changed since that time. The only adjustments that have been made are we reduced the development by nine lots to improve some constructability along the creek and moving a little less dirt there on that cul-de-sac road toward the center of the sheet low side. And we also removed the lots on the long connection to Pinion Road as getting sewer there was a little challenging and it allowed for a more attractive amenity space in that area. So you can see the parking lot is included down there on that road. As far as the waiver goes, we're not reducing the amount of street trees that are required from the current PD. We're just asking that the builder have flexibility in putting those outside of the right of way, about five feet off the back of the sidewalk. And not exactly at 40 foot intervals, If you have 50 foot wide lots, for example, you eventually hit a driveway at 40 foot intervals. So just some technicalities there that we've come across in construction and design that we'd like to get ahead of. You all have any other questions? Happy to answer.

Any other questions on this application? Okay. Thank you.

If you'll have a seat, we'll see if there are any questions from the public. Thank you.

I'm guessing not. All right. given that there are no other questions or comments from the public. Commissioners, any discussion or points anyone would like to share, as well as any motion, if you all desire to make one. You can make it with the waivers and conditions outlined in that.

Make a motion to approve PP 2 5-0 0 5 the hive section 3 To approve it as submitted to include the waiver request in street names All right, all those in favor, please say aye aye all opposed Thank you All right

Mr. Paradise, you have an update for us on the comprehensive plan?

Yeah, and it's not a big one, but just so that y'all know, it has been posted, the RFP's been posted on SCEBO, South Carolina Business Opportunities website.

for interested consultants to apply.

We've got a couple that have kicked tires, so to speak, with questions. And that closes out the 30th of July at noon. So after that, when we get those in, I'll be reaching out to the three of y'all, and we will get busy with it.

All right. And anything you'd like to share with the staff report?

Let me see what I can do this month. Okay. June reflected continued strong residential growth in North Augusta with high levels of residential site reviews and building approvals, steady development activity, increased planning fee revenue, and active code enforcement. The report indicates the residential construction remains the primary driver of development activity in 2026. had 484 planned lots on 245 acres so far. And planning staff has completed 41 residential site reviews in June, which brings the year-to-date total to 196, which is a pretty big increase from where we were at last year at 120. Code enforcement has done 44 property maintenance cases, and 22 have been closed this month. 119 temporary signs have been worked and resolved. 48 landscape inspections completed. Six illegal vehicles investigated with three closed. Planning development collected approximately $2,289 this month in fees. And our revenue's up 15,315 compared to 12,804 during this period last year. Is that what you want me to do?

I appreciate that and thank you so much for you and your team and the obviously increased level of work both in interest in our fair city and thank you all for making sure that That as Northa grows we grow in a way that can make all of us and our neighbors proud. So thank you all for that work would like to I thank Commissioner Bob Biggar for his service and for his time and attention to the neighborhoods in the city of North Augusta as a commissioner. And we are grateful for you and we have been made better for your service. And in particular, I have appreciated you stepping up and serving as my vice chair and standing in my seat both through absence and recusal. So appreciate you again. Wish you well for the next phase of life and that you enjoy it greatly. Though we will miss you on Wednesday nights. I am not sure that you will miss us. So just want to thank you again for your service. And you will be missed. Second.

Second. All right.

And if there's nothing else you would like to adjourn, this is July meeting.