Planning Commission

SUMMARY MEETING REPORT ROME-FLOYD COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION 3/5/2020 PRESENT: Logan Boss, Frank Brown, Melissa Eldridge, Charles Love, Terry Jones, Ivy Lowery, Anthony McClain, Steve Miller, Tom Bennett Bill Collins, Ex-Officio, City of Rome Jamie Doss, Ex-Officio, City of Rome Larry Maxey, Ex-Officio, Floyd County ABSENT: Ghee Wilson STAFF: Art Newell, Planning Director Brice Wood, Senior Planner Kayla Schaaf, Associate Planner Patrick Eidson, Assistant City Manager Gary Burkhalter, Assistant County Manager Frank Beacham, City Attorney PUBLIC: Howard Gray, Mills & Cheryl Fitzner, Billy Newby, Bekki Fox, Amanda Carter, Sam Moss, Scott Bentley, Harlene H, Carolyn McGuiness, Nena Dake, Mike Lovely, Ethan Garrett, Olivia Morley, Sunny Knauss, Brad Burgess, Thom Holt CALL TO ORDER: Logan Boss – Chair, called the March 5, 2020 meeting of the Rome-Floyd County Planning Commission to order at 2:30 PM. It was determined by roll call that a quorum was present. Boss then welcomed visitors and explained the rules of procedure. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Charles Love made a motion to amend the agenda to allow the sole county application to be heard first, and to allow for a discussion regarding spot zoning under “new business”, which was requested by Steve Miller. Steve Miller seconded and the motion and it was approved by a vote of 9-0. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Steve Miller requested an amendment to the February minutes to show a more detailed description of the conversation regarding associated with application Z20-02-02. Terry Jones made a motion to approve the minutes once the additional information that Mr. Miller requested is added. Anthony McClain seconded and the motion passed with a vote of 9-0. FLOYD COUNTY REZONING/SPECIAL USE PERMITS: SUP20-03-02 – Requests a Special Use Permit for miniature warehouses at 4376, 4400 & 0 Martha Berry Hwy Rome, GA 30165, Floyd County Tax Parcels J10Y092, J10Y093 and J10Y094. Applicant/Owner: Howard Gray/Larry Martin. Brice Wood presented the application and staff report. Director Newell presented the staff recommendation of approval. Howard Gray was present to speak on behalf of the application. There was no one present to speak in opposition. Upon discussion, Steve Miller questioned the applicant regarding whether the existing house is currently occupied. Gray confirmed that it has recently been rented. Miller asked staff whether single-family residential is an allowable use in C-C. Director Newell advised that it is not, making this legal non-conforming. Charles Love made a motion to approve, which was seconded by Tom Bennett. Before a vote could be taken, Terry Jones an addendum to the motion to require inward/downward facing lighting a 6 foot opaque fence between the development and the neighboring residential development to the south of the applicant parcel. The addendum was approved by common consent. Steve Miller then made a motion to approve with the addendum, which was seconded by Ivy Lowery. The revised motion passed 9-0. CITY OF ROME REZONINGS/SPECIAL USE PERMITS: Z20-03-01 – River District Rezoning, 75 parcels as shown on the legal ad, requested to be rezoned from either C-C, or O-I to U-M-U. Applicant: City of Rome, Owners: various. Brice Wood presented the application and staff report. Director Newell presented the staff recommendation of approval. Patrick Eidson, Assistant City Manager was present to speak on behalf of the application. Sam Moss of the South Rome Redevelopment Corporation then spoke in favor, talking about redevelopment efforts within the River District, South Rome and elsewhere. Commissioner Jamie Doss then spoke in favor and discussed the SPLOST project regarding the streetscapes that is forthcoming. Mike Lovely then spoke in favor regarding walkable urbanism. Upon discussion, Charles love questioned Eidson about TADS, opportunity zones, and other incentives. Eidson and various staff members explained that parts of the River District are included in TADS and/or opportunity zones. Love rhetorically questioned whether we could create incentives for other areas like North Rome. Steve Miller asked Eidson about the vision for the River District? Eidson explained the benefits of additional density as it relates to more customers for business, higher property values and the benefits of developing where existing infrastructure is already in place. Miller then asked about parking and how U-M-U- has no parking requirements. Brice Wood explained that three or fewer residential units do not require parking, as well as commercial development, but that larger residential developments have a requirement of 1.25 spaces per dwelling unit. STAFF REPORT: Brice Wood gave an update regarding the status of the previous month’s zoning cases. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to bring before this body, the March 5, 2020, meeting of the Planning Commission was adjourned by Anthony McClain, Chair, at approximately 3:40 P.M. Logan Boss, Chair Staff Reports:  https://ga-rome.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1566/SUP20-05-02-LArry-Martin  https://ga-rome.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1567/Z20-03-01-River-District  https://ga-rome.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1568/SUP20-03-02-Holiday-Inn-Skytop