Planning Commission

MINUTES TOWN OF FORT MILL PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING July 19, 2022 112 Confederate Street 6:00 PM Present: James Traynor, Dan Stout, Hynek Lettang, Mark Kerr, Jason Therrell, Assistant Town Manager Chris Pettit, Planner II Zach Driggers, David Buist (Vulcan Property Group), Scott Watson (Vulcan Property Group), Evan Burwell (Student) Absent: Sarah Curtis, Matthew Lucarelli, Penelope G. Karagounis, Planning Director Chairman James Traynor called the Planning Commission meeting to order at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, July 19, 2022. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairman Traynor gave an opportunity to the Planning Commission to review and comment on the June 21, 2022 meeting minutes. Chairman Traynor requested staff to correct the spelling of his name throughout the minutes as it was misspelled on a few occasions. Hearing no other corrections, Chairman Traynor called for a motion. Commissioner Stout made a motion to approve the minutes with the edits discussed. Commissioner Kerr seconded the motion. The minutes for June 21,2022 were approved with the discussed edits by a vote of 5-0. NEW BUSINESS ITEMS Chairman Traynor asked the Planning Commissioners if there would be any objection to starting with New Business Item #4. Hearing no objections, the Planning Commission took up New Business Item #4 first. 4. Commercial Appearance Review: The Vault at Fort Mill (GSG Holdings LLC) Planner Zach Driggers presented the staff report and provided a brief overview of the request, the purpose of which was to grant commercial appearance review approval for The Vault at Fort Mill. The Planning Department recommended approval of the request, contingent upon staff being able to approve minor adjustments. Staff also noted the plans had been updated since the previous request that was deferred by the Commission in June of 2022. Discussions occurred relating to location and visibility of the self-storage from the Parkway and Spratt Street. 1  Mr. Traynor brought up the size of the self-storage buildings. David Buist, the applicant, responded. Mr. Buist called attention to the material updates to the buildings and what has been changed since the previous meeting. Mr. Lettang commented on the pattern of brick herringbone section of the self-storage buildings. Mr. Buist pointed out the intent was to provide a historical look. Mr. Kerr stated his approval of the design. Mr. Buist mentioned the design color of the self-storage doors changed to white. Mr. Traynor brought up the variation of brick and stucco on the self-storage buildings. Mr. Buist explained with the overall site and buffer requirements that the intent was to make the visible sections the more attractive side with brick. Discussion occurred about the screening for the storage site. Mr. Buist noted there will be an 8ft white privacy fence. Discussion occurred about traffic requirements. Following the discussion, Mr. Kerr made a motion to grant commercial appearance review approval with the condition for staff to have the ability to approve minor modifications to the site plan and elevations if needed. Mr. Lettang seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 4- 1. Mr. Stout opposed. 1. Text Amendment: Mobile Food Vendors Assistant Town Manager Chris Pettit provided a brief overview of the request, the purpose of which was to review and consider a recommendation to Town Council for a text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance relating to mobile food vendors (aka food trucks). Mr. Pettit discussed the history of the Town’s current ordinance as well as the challenges that had been faced in enforcing the ordinance since its inception. Staff spoke to the benefits of the new ordinance, mainly that it gives more clarity on where food trucks can operate, added more clarity on process for approving food trucks, and reducing the operational regulations to make it easier for food trucks to be in compliance. Mr. Pettit noted that the ordinance was written so as to closely follow neighboring jurisdictions thus creating regional consistency, which would likely help in increasing compliance issues. Discussions occurred relating to other locations not specifically spoken to in the ordinance (HOAs, schools, churches, etc.) and code enforcement issues. Following the discussion, Commissioner Kerr made a motion to recommend in favor of approval. Commissioner Stout seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0. 2. Text Amendment: Town Gateway Overlay District (TGOD) Assistant Town Manager Pettit provided a brief overview of the request, the purpose of which was to review and consider a recommendation to Town Council for a text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance relating to the creation of a new overlay district 2  over the Town’s gateways. The main purpose of the ordinance would be to create an overlay zoning district that would require, as properties are developed or redeveloped, utilities to be placed underground. As a side benefit, the ordinance would also grant the Town additional power in regulation small cell wireless facilities throughout the gateways coming into and out of Town. Following a discussion of the ordinance, Commissioner Stout made a motion to recommend approval of the ordinance. Commissioner Kerr seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0. 3. Text Amendment: Small Wireless Facilities Assistant Town Manager Pettit provided a brief overview of the request, the purpose of which was to review and consider a recommendation to Town Council for a text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance relating to the placement of small wireless facilities within road rights-of-ways within Town. Mr. Pettit noted that the ordinance was drafted based off a Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC) model ordinance, which was created using state law that was recently passed relating to small wireless facilities. Mr. Pettit noted that the Town had very little that they could change within the MASC model ordinance, with the only real opportunity for customization being in certain districts able to develop design guidelines for the aesthetics of the facilities. Staff discussed the proposed design guidelines with the Planning Commissions. Discussions occurred with the Planning Commission relating to the model ordinance, the number of facilities anticipated throughout town, and the look of the facilities in other areas where they are allowed. After the discussion, Chairman Traynor called for a motion. Commissioner Kerr made a motion to recommend approval of the ordinance. Commissioner Stout seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:20 pm. 3