Board of Adjustments

Rome-Floyd Board of Adjustments Minutes Location: City Hall Commission Chambers Date: Thursday, August 15, 2024 Time: 2:30 PM PLEASE REFER TO THE VIDEO RECORDING FOR FULL DETAIL OF THE MEETING CALL TO ORDER Meeting convened: 2:31 p.m. led by Chair Clonts. Determination of Quorum (4 of 7 needed) P – Present MEMBER Notes STAFF Z – Zoom P Cameron Abney Vice Chair P Frank Beacham - City Attorney P Frank Brown P Chris Jackson – County Attorney P David Clonts Chair A Bruce Ivey – County Manager A Johnathan Harris A Meredith Ulmer – Asst City Manager P Jarrod Johnson P James Martin – Building Official P Wendy Lignell P Brice Wood – Director - Planning Department P Michelle Kite – Associate Planner P Julia Harris – HPC/Associate Planner P Sophie Darbonne, Planning Technician Public (from sign-in sheet): Jeff Barnett, Elaine Barnett, Patel Kartik, Marka Palmer, TK Hamiliton Welcome and Introduction of Visitors Clonts welcomed the public to the meeting and requested that all visitors sign in. Approval of Minutes from July 2024 Meeting Abney made a motion to approve the July 2024 minutes, which was seconded by Lignell. The motion passed by common consent. Approval/Modification of Agenda There were no modifications to the agenda. The agenda was approved by common consent. ROME/FLOYD ZONING VARIANCE APPLICATIONS: BOA23-12-02, for the property at 1709 Maple Ave., Rome, GA 30161, Floyd County Tax Parcel J14N103, being zoned Community Commercial (C-C), requests to remove the requirement for curb and gutter, to eliminate the 20-foot landscaping requirement along the frontages, to reduce the drive aisle width requirement, to reduce the parking requirement, to not have to pave the parking lot, and to reduce the point of access distance requirement from 50-feet to use the existing access point on East 18th Street. Director Wood presented the application, staff report, and staff recommendation. Chair Clonts opened the public hearing. TK Hamilton was present to speak in favor of the application and to answer any questions. No one was present to speak in opposition. Chair Clonts closed the public hearing and opened the floor for discussion amongst the voting members. 1 Johnson made a motion to approve with staff conditions as follows: Approval of the following: (1) reducing the parking requirement to six spaces (2) reducing the distance requirement for the entrance on East 18th Street as shown on the provided site plan on the condition that the point of ingress remain an entrance only (3) reducing the front landscape strip requirement to zero feet on the condition that trees be planted at the right side of the entrance and exit to the property in the vacant (green) spaces shown on the site plan. The variety of such trees shall be approved by the city arborist to ensure that its roots will not interfere with the sidewalk and curb and gutter. The green spot on the left side of the entrance will be grass and/or low shrubs (4) to reduce the one-way drive aisle width to 14 feet. Staff recommends denial of the following: (1) the requirement to eliminate the requirement for curb and gutter (2) the sidewalk requirement (3) the requirement to pave the parking lot (4) the front setback requirement., which was seconded by Lignell. The motion passed 4-1. MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER M - Motion S – Second AB – Abstained Y Cameron Abney N David Clonts M Jarrod Johnson Y Frank Brown Johnathan Harris S Wendy Lignell BOA24-08-01, for the property at 100 Cameo Dr., Rome, GA 30165, Floyd County Tax Parcel G13W415, being zoned Suburban Residential (S-R), requests to reduce the front setback along Cameo Drive from 25’ to 10’ and requests an accessory structure closer to the public right-of-way than the principal structure. Director Wood presented the application, staff report, and staff recommendation. Chair Clonts opened the public hearing. Jeff Barnett was present to speak in favor of the application and to answer any questions regarding the location of the RV carport and setback distance. No one was present to speak in opposition. Chair Clonts closed the public hearing and opened the floor for discussion amongst the voting members. Abney made a motion to approve with staff recommendation as follows: approval of the front setback reduction along Cameo Drive from 25’ to 10’ and an accessory structure closer to the public right-of-way than the principal structure on the condition that the approval be limited to the existing RV carport, thus preventing any expansion of the other existing structures on the property., which was seconded by Lignell. The motion passed 4-1. MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER M - Motion S – Second AB – Abstained M Cameron Abney N David Clonts Y Jarrod Johnson Y Frank Brown Johnathan Harris S Wendy Lignell BOA24-08-02, for the property at 0 N Broad St., Rome, GA 30161, Floyd County Tax Parcel K12Y027, being zoned Community Commercial (C-C), requests to reduce all front setback requirements from 20’ to 10’ and requests to reduce all landscape strips from 20’ to 10’. Director Wood presented the application, staff report, and staff recommendation. Chair Clonts opened the public hearing. Kartik “Kenny” Patel and Marka Palmer were present to speak in favor of the application and to answer any questions. They are currently working with GDOT on a waiver for the driveway, stating that if they are unable to get the waiver then they won’t put the convenience store there. Palmer identified herself as a realtor representing both the buyer and the seller who both support the variance request. Doug Walker was present to speak as a concerned citizen. He noted the importance of a deacceleration lane as speeding is an issue in that area and the potential of traffic accidents. There was no one present to speak in opposition. Chair Clonts closed the public hearing and opened the floor for discussion amongst the voting members. 2 Chair Clonts asked Mr. Patel if would install COAM’s and Mr. Patel stated that he would not. Chair Clonts commented that while he believes the applicant he also understands that future owners may not be as reputable. Chair Clonts then asked City Attorney Beachem if it would be appropriate to add a condition to an approval motion forbidding COAM machines on the premises. Beachem commented that the applicant is asking for a variance to build a store large enough that violates the setbacks and it is therefore reasonable to put a condition on that store. Chair Clonts made a motion to approve with staff’s conditions and the condition that the proposed convenience store will not have COAM machines. The motion was seconded by Frank Brown. Kartik Patel questioned whether the condition regarding COAMs was necessary and whether it would apply to any/all future owners. Director Wood explained that variances, and any conditions placed on their approval, stick with the property regardless of changes in ownership. The motion passed 3-2. MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER M - Motion S – Second AB – Abstained N Cameron Abney M David Clonts Y Jarrod Johnson S Frank Brown Johnathan Harris N Wendy Lignell ADJOURNMENT: Clonts made a motion to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 3:26 pm by common consent. STAFF REPORTS: https://www.romega.us/DocumentCenter/View/3484/BOA23-12-02---Maple-Ave-City https://www.romega.us/DocumentCenter/View/3485/BOA24-08-01---Cameo-Dr-County- https://www.romega.us/DocumentCenter/View/3486/BOA24-08-02---N-Broad-St-City 3