Planning Commission

ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 5, 2023 - 6:00 P.M. 120 W. Dougherty Street MEMBERS PRESENT: Sara Beresford (chair), Catherine Goodrum, Matthew Hall, Alice Kinman, Taylor Pass, Sarah Gehring, Lucy Rowland, Joey Tucker, Monique Sanders, and Kristen Morales MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Brad Griffin, Bruce Lonnee, Max Doty, and Stephen Jaques (Planning); Austin Jackson (Attorney’s Office) GENERAL BUSINESS Ms. Beresford called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 1. Introduction of Staff reports and all other documents submitted to the Planning Commission at this meeting into the official record. Ms. Rowland moved to introduce all reports and documents into the official record. Ms. Kinman seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. 2. Approval of December 8, 2022 Planning Commission meeting minutes. Ms. Rowland made a motion to approve the minutes. Ms. Kinman seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. 3. MACORTS review and public comment – No comment. OLD BUSINESS 1. 2023 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN – 5 Year Update Draft Review and Approval Petitioner: Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Request: Review and Approve Draft Plan Mr. Lonnee presented the Draft Plan document with a recommendation to forward the 2023 Comprehensive Plan Draft to the Mayor & Commission for transmittal to the State. For: None. Against: None. Discussion: Several editorial comments were made to correct minor grammatical and formatting errors. Commissioners noted that the 2023 Plan was created under constrained conditions that did not allow a full rewrite of the existing 2018 Plan document. Motion: Ms. Kinman made a motion to recommend approval. Mr. Tucker seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. 2. 199 STONE MILL RUN & 450 BALDWIN STREET – PD-2022-09-03619 Type I – Master Planned Development Petitioner: Ed Lane / Smith Planning Group Owner: Campus Investors River Mills LLC, ACC Management Request: From Mixed Density Residential & General Business to Downtown; From RM-2 (Mixed- Density Residential) & C-G (PD) (Commercial-General, Planned Development) to C-D (Riv) (PD) (Commercial-Downtown – River Design Area, Planned Development) Tax ID: 171D2 G001, 171D2 G001A Mr. Doty presented the staff report with a recommendation to deny the Requests. For: Ed Lane, Sam Newman Against: None.  Discussion: The Fire Marshal’s opposition to the project drew considerable discussion with multiple commissioners expressing skepticism of the opposition and concern with the lack of explanation in the Fire Marshal’s comment. Several commissioners suggested that the additional tax revenue from the project would likely exceed the additional costs of servicing a taller structure. A member of the Planning Commission stated that, “It sounds to me like the Fire Department doesn’t want to deal with the extra work [to equip and train for fighting fires in structures exceeding 100 feet in height]. I don’t think that’s a valid reason to deny this application.” Several Commissioners supported the Fire Marshal with one saying, “I trust what [the Fire Marshal] have to say because that is their expertise.” Several Commissioners encouraged the Mayor & Commission to ask for further clarification from the Fire Marshal and consider options such as funding additional training to support buildings of this size. Commissioners agreed that the location is a good fit for student housing and placing more students in walking distance of campus helps relieve pressure on Athens’ transportation network and housing supply. The applicant pushed back against Staff Report Condition #1, and the Planning Commission declined to include it in their recommendation. They also modified several Staff Conditions at the request of the applicant. Future Land Use Motion: Mr. Hall made a motion to recommend approval of the Future Land Use change. Mr. Tucker seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Zoning Motion: Mr. Hall made a motion to recommend approval with conditions of the Zoning request. Mr. Tucker seconded the motion, which passed 7-2. Prior to voting, Ms. Morales made a motion for a substitute motion that failed for lack of a second. Planning Commission Conditions: 1. Have a public access easement created that will be owner maintained and have the overlook access/overlook area incorporate more park-like features. This area is based on page 8 of 18 of the Applicants Report showing designated public spaces areas. Permanent structures, including the proposed overlook, shall be moved outside of all utility easements. 2. Create a landscape buffer wall between the development and the southern property line per Sec. 9-15- 3(A). 3. Increase main water loop to at least an 8-inch diameter. 4. Move trees out of water/sewer easements and be more than 10 feet away from mains. 5. Move some of the handicap parking spaces on level 2 of the parking deck to be next to the elevator and the stairwell to the extent legally permissible in consultation with the applicant’s ADA consultant. 6. Left turn lanes shall be installed in Baldwin Street at each entrance at the developer’s expense. 7. The developer shall use the prescribed Sec. 9-13-3(E)(1)&(3) non-glare roofing materials & fully shielded amber lighting systems for the entire subject property, rather than merely the (major) portion that falls underneath the overlay. 3. 505 & 515 OLYMPIC DRIVE – PD-2022-10-03839 Type I – Master Planned Development Petitioner: Jason Wadsworth / Mill Creek Residential Owners: SFI Land, LLC & Wollmoor Properties, LLC Requests: From Employment Center to Mixed Density Residential; From E-I & I* to RM-1 (PD) (Employment-Industrial & Industrial with Conditions to Mixed-Density Residential-1, Planned Development) Tax ID: 164 021 & 164 024H Mr. Jaques presented the staff report with a recommendation to deny the requests. For: None. Against: None.  Discussion: The applicant requested a table. Several commissioners expressed support for the table, but stated that they planned to oppose the project. Motion: Ms. Rowland made a motion to recommend a table of the proposal. Mr. Tucker seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. 4. 1545 COMMERCE ROAD – ZONE-2022-07-1918 Type I – Rezoning Petitioner: Jerry Wood / DuSouth Inc. Owner: Beau Terrell Request: From General Business and Employment Center to Employment Center; From I (Industrial) and C-G (Commercial-General) to I (Industrial) Tax ID: 161A2 010 For: Beau Terrell, Logan Waters, Nathan Wang Against: Emily Carr (President of Sandy Creek Nature Center Inc.) Discussion: One Commissioner stated that granting the applicant’s request would be a lost opportunity to have complimentary businesses next to Sandy Creek Nature Center. There was general skepticism of granting this rezone request without a binding plan. The applicant expressed opposition to the Staff Conditions while offering their own conditions, but Commissioners agreed that the Nature Center is not just a park, so it warrants additional protection. Commissioners compared the potential detrimental uses that could be built by right on this site against the proposed warehouse. Future Land Use Motion: Ms. Morales made a motion to recommend denial of the Future Land Use request. Ms. Rowland seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Zoning Motion: Ms. Gehring made a motion to recommend denial of the Zoning request. Ms. Sanders seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. NEW BUSINESS—None OTHER BUSINESS 1. Planning Commission Chair’s Report – None 2. Planning Director's Report – None 3. Miscellaneous announcements – None Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.