Planning Commission

MINUTES TOWN OF FORT MILL PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING February 18, 2020 112 Confederate Street 6:30 PM Present: James Traynor, Hynek Lettang, Matthew Lucarelli, Ben Hudgins, Andy Agrawal, Tom Petty, Chris Wolfe, Nick Cauthen, and Penelope Karagounis Guests: David Crow and Jason Hines Chairman Traynor called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR FOR 2020 Chairman Traynor requested nominations for the position of Chair. Mr. Wolfe nominated Mr. Traynor. Mr. Agrawal seconded the motion. There being no further nominations, the question of electing Mr. Traynor was put to a vote. The vote passed 7-0. Chairman Traynor requested nominations for the position of Vice Chair. Mr. Agrawal made a motion to nominate Mr. Hudgins as Vice Chair. Mr. Lettang seconded the motion. There being no further nominations, the question of electing Mr. Hudgins as Vice Chair was put to a vote. The vote passed 7-0. Chairman Traynor mentioned on the second paragraph of the January 21, 2020 Planning Commission meeting minutes to change from “After as discussed” to “After discussion”. Planning Director Karagounis noted the change. After discussion and with no further questions or comments the Chairman asked for a motion. Mr. Wolfe made a motion to approve the minutes from January 21, 2020 Planning Commission meeting with the above change. Mr. Agrawal seconded the motion. The minutes were approved by a vote of 7-0. NEW BUSINESS ITEMS 1. Commercial Appearance Review – Lowe’s Home Centers Inc.: Mr. Cauthen provided a brief overview of the request, the purpose of which was to review and consider granting commercial appearance review approval for an addition to the existing Lowes located at 1640 Hwy. 160 W. Mr. Cauthen provided a site plan and elevations to the Commissioners as part of the staff report. The proposal included a 3,000 sq. ft. addition for tool rentals and a 1,500 sq. ft. outdoor storage cage addition. Staff noted the building addition would match the existing building’s materials and colors. The Planning Department recommended approval of the request with the condition for staff to be able to approve minor adjustments. Chairman Traynor asked if the Lowes was located on a separate lot and staff responded that it was. 1 Mr. Traynor asked about the material of the cage. The applicant stated that it is a material called Secura mesh which is similar to chain link but is heavier gaged steel and powder coated black. Mr. Traynor noted that a portion of the cage would be screened by the addition, but he believed the Interstate interchange improvements would destroy a portion of the existing screening off site. He asked the applicant if any additional screening would be added to account for these future road improvements. The applicant asked if he was concerned with the visibility from I-77, and Mr. Traynor said yes but more so from the ramp. Mr. Lucarelli asked what kind of materials would be stored in the cage. The applicant stated there would be racks and tools stored that could withstand the elements. Mr. Agrawal asked if it was a possibility to add a fabric liner to the fence similar to a tennis court wind screen. The applicant stated the holes are denser than a typical chain link fence and not nearly as visible from the outside in. Mr. Lucarelli asked about the security fence listed on the plan in the parking lot. The applicant stated that it would be removed after construction, it was just for safety. Mr. Lettang asked for the brand of the fence. The applicant stated the brand was Secura mesh. Mr. Lucarelli said there appears to be a roof over the storage cage. The applicant said a roof covers a portion of the storage cage but not the entire area, just 20 of the entire 30 ft. Mr. Lettang noted that he thought the mesh looked nice. Chairman Traynor said the Commission could reach an agreement with staff regarding the question about the screening. Mr. Wolfe stated he was more concerned with the view from the hotel than the highway. He noted a couple of options including mesh and plant materials. Mr. Lettang said he was not sure if he would support a fabric meshing, considering that it could introduce a maintenance issue. Mr. Lucarelli asked about a detail listed on the plans detailing a chain link fence and Secura mesh. The applicant stated the plan note was incorrect and would be corrected with the official submittal to building. It should just say Secura mesh fence, powder coated black. Chairman Traynor agreed with the earlier point that inside mesh could be an issue. He said he was not comfortable prescribing buffer heights with the limited information the Commission had. Mr. Wolfe asked if the screening would be requested for the parking lot area or for the highway. Mr. Traynor stated for the highway. Mr. Lucarelli noted there is a 30 ft. access easement on the highway boundary side severely limiting the available planting area. He also stated the maples in the parking islands must be planted certain 2  distances apart in order to remain healthy. Mr. Wolfe asked if the proposed addition’s painted CMU would match the existing building color. The applicant stated the material and color would match. After no further questions or comments Chairman Traynor asked for a motion. Mr. Lucarelli made a motion to grant commercial appearance review approval with the condition giving staff the ability to approve minor modifications to the site plan and elevations if needed along with a specific focus on the landscape plan and potential site lines from I-77 regarding landscaping relative to the outdoor storage cage. Mr. Hudgins seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-0. 2. Text Amendment: INS Institutional District Planning Director Karagounis provided a brief overview of the staff report and draft ordinance, which would amend Article II, Requirements by District; Section 29, INST Institutional District; to establish requirements for Hospital. Staff previously drafted the Institutional (INST) District in July 2019 that initially encompassed school sites. The Institutional District was written with the intent of expanding other uses other than schools. Those uses were to include other public or semi-public facilities such as government uses, utilities, arts/cultures/civic uses, hospital, daycares, and places of worship. At the January Planning Commission, staff presented a text amendment adding Religious Institution as a permitted use to the Institutional District and the Town Council is the process of adopting the ordinance. The current text amendment would amend the Zoning Ordinance to allow Hospitals as an allowed use within the Institutional (INST) District, with conditions intended to minimize the impacts to neighboring properties. The three conditions are: a maximum building height may be 75 feet; a minimum lot area of 10 acres shall be required if the site is to include a heliport or helipad; the location of the helipad shall have a separation requirement of 500 feet from any existing building not owned by the applicant at the time the site plan is approved by the town and 500 feet from any residential use. There was a discussion between the Planning Commissioners about the location of the helipad regarding the noise pollution. Chairman Traynor mentioned how they had concerns about the noise pollution, but the board members did not have expertise to decide of what was an acceptable distance for a helipad regarding nearby properties. Commissioner Wolfe expressed his concern that we need to be sensitive to the regulations we set for the hospital helipad location, so we do not have issues in the future. Commissioner Wolfe discussed how the helipad should be located on top of the hospital building instead of on the ground. There was a concern about the glide path of the helicopter. Planning Director Karagounis mentioned that we did not know at this time 3  and this would be regulated with FAA. The Commissioners discussed how they would like staff to look into other South Carolina ordinances to identify regulations in regard to the location of a helipad for a hospital and in regard to noise pollution. There was also discussion on the minimum lot area of 10 acres shall be required if the site is to include a heliport or helipad. Commissioner Lucarelli discussed on how we do not want to hinder other locations for Hospitals to be able to have a helipad if the minimum lot area is increased in acreage. After no further questions or comments Chairman Traynor asked for a motion. Commissioner Lucarelli made a motion to recommend approval of the text amendment to allow Hospitals as an allowed use in the Institutional district. Planning Commission also hereby approves section C1 of the amendment language for a maximum building height of 75 feet. However, the Planning Commission hereby modifies Section C2 for minimum lot area of 15 acres for a site that includes a heliport or helipad. The Planning Commission hereby also recommends modifications of section C3 to require helipads to be located on the roof of the hospital or to allow staff to further research typical standards of other South Carolina municipalities for typical distances for heliport/helipad to be located away from buildings not owned by the applicant. Commissioner Agrawal seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-0. 3. Rezoning Request: Fort Mill Town Council Planning Director Karagounis provided an overview of the request, the purpose of which was to review and provide a recommendation on an ordinance amending the zoning map for the Town of Fort Mill so as to change the zoning designation for York County Tax Map Number 020-09-01015 from HC, Highway Commercial to INST, Institutional. Planning Director Karagounis noted that the request would bring the property under a more suited zoning designation and that the requested zoning designation for the subject property is generally consistent with the Town's Comprehensive Plan. Staff recommended in favor of approval. Discussions occurred concerning building on other pieces of the property. Ms. Karagounis stated that anything constructed on the property will fall under the definition of a hospital/medical facility. There being no further questions, the Chairman called for a motion. Commissioner Lettang made a motion to recommend in favor of approval of the rezoning request. Commissioner Wolfe seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-0. 4. Rezoning Request: Fort Mill Town Council Planning Director Karagounis provided an overview of the request , the purpose of which was to review and provide a recommendation on an ordinance amending the zoning map for the Town of Fort Mill so as to change the zoning designation for York County Tax Map Numbers 020-20-01-036, 020-13-01-075, and 020-20-01-034 from R-15, Residential to INST, Institutional. Planning Director Karagounis noted that the request would bring the multiple properties under a common zoning designation and that the requested zoning 4  designation was consistent with other schools previously rezoned. Staff recommended in favor of approval. There being no further questions, the Chairman called for a motion. Commissioner Hudgins made a motion to recommend in favor of approval of the rezoning request. Commissioner Agrawal seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-0. 5. Text Amendment: Transportation Mitigation Agreement Planning Director Karagounis provided an overview of the request, the purpose of which was to review and provide a recommendation to Town Council for a proposed text amendment to the Transportation Impact Analysis, Subsection F, Transportation Mitigation Agreement. Planning Director Karagounis went through the staff report, explaining the purpose of the text amendment and detailing the specific amendment. There being no further questions, the Chairman called for a motion. Commissioner Agrawal made a motion to recommend in favor of approval. Commissioner Lucarelli seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-0. 6. Development Impact Fee Ordinance Assistant Town Manager Pettit provided a brief overview of the request, the purpose of which was to review and give a recommendation to Town Council on an ordinance amending the Town’s Impact Fee ordinance. The South Carolina Development Impact Fee Act requires that the plans, studies, and ordinances relating to impact fees be updated at least once every five years. Since the Town initially adopted impact fees in 2015, it is now time for the Town to review and consider the adoption of an update. Questions arose relating to impact fees and discount rates, to which Assistant Manager Pettit noted and addressed. There being no further questions, Chairman called for a motion. Commissioner Petty made a motion to recommend in favor of approval of the resolution with the 10% discount rate for the Impact Fee. Commissioner Hudgins seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-0. 7. Capital Improvements Plan Ordinance Assistant Town Manager Pettit provided an overview of the request, the purpose of which was to review and provide a recommendation to Town Council on an ordinance amending the Town’s Capital Improvements Plan. Questions arose relating to proposed capital projects to which Assistant Town Manager Pettit and Planning Director Karagounis noted and addressed. There being no further questions, Chairman called for a motion. Commissioner Lucarelli 5  made a motion to recommend approval of the resolution in support of the adoption of the CIP ordinance. Commissioner Petty seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-0. 8. Comprehensive Plan Ordinance Assistant Town Manager Pettit provided a brief overview of the current state of the comprehensive plan, the purpose of which was to review and provide a recommendation to Town Council on an ordinance adopting the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. Discussion occurred relating to updates and adoption process. There being no further questions, Chairman called for a motion. Commissioner Agrawal made a motion to recommend in favor of approval. Commissioner Wolfe seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-0. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:25 PM. Respectfully submitted, Penelope G. Karagounis, MA Planning Director March 13, 2020 6