The Columbus Consolidated Government
Planning Department
Post Office Box 1340 Columbus, Georgia 31902-1340
Telephone (706) 653-4116
Fax (706) 653-4120
Website: www.columbusga.org/planning
STAFF REPORT
REZN-6-12-2275
Applicant:
Mark H. Holloway/Medical Realty Group, LLC
Owner:
Medical Realty Group, LLC.
Location
4001 Willis Road
Acreage:
0.5655
acres
Current Zoning Classification:
SFR2 (Single Family Residential 2)
Proposed Zoning Classification:
RO (Residential Office)
Current Use of Property:
Vacant Lot
Proposed Use of Property:
Commercial Parking Lot
Council District:
District 8 (McDaniel)
Planning Advisory Commission's Recommendation:
Conditional Approval
based on the fact that the request is compatible with existing land uses. The recommended conditions are: 1) The use of the property shall be restricted to a parking lot. 2) Allow for an increase in the number of parking spaces from 120 spaces to 190 spaces (change from 1 space per 250 sq. ft. to 1 space per 158 sq. ft.). 3) Allow for a reduction on the side buffer next to SFR2 and RMF1 zoning districts from thirty (30) feet undisturbed natural buffer to thirteen point ninety one (13.91) feet.
Planning Departments Recommendation:
Conditional Approval
based on the fact that the request is compatible with existing and future land uses. The recommended conditions are the same as those recommended by the Planning Advisory Commission plus one additional condition that is as follows: 4) The proposed parking lot shall be landscaped, screened and buffered in accordance with Articles 5 and 6 of Chapter 4 of the Unified Development Ordinance.
Fort Benning's Rcommendation:
N/A.
DRI Rcommendation:
N/A.
General Land Use:
Consistent
Planning Area D
Land Use Designation:
Mixed Use
Environmental Impacts:
The property does not lie within a floodway and floodplain area. The developer will need an approved drainage plan prior to issuance of a Site Development permit, if a permit is required.
City Services:
Property is served by all city services.
Traffic Impact:
The proposed project is not expected to have a negative impact on the transportation network.
Surrounding Zoning:
North
– RO (Residential Office)/NC (Neighborhood Commercial)
South
– SFR2 (Single Family Residential 2
)
/RMF1 (Residential Multifamily 1)/ RO (Residential Office)
East
– RMF2 (Residential Multifamily 2)/ RO (Residential Office)/ SFR2 (Single Family Residential 2)
West
–
RO (Residential Office)/ SFR2 (Single Family Residential 2)
Reasonableness of Request
The request is compatible with existing and future land uses.
School Impact
N/A.
Buffer Requirements
The proposed development shall have a Category C buffer requirement along all property lines bordered by the SFR2 and RMF1 zoning districts. The 3 options under Category C are:
1) 20 feet
with a certain amount of canopy trees, under story trees, and shrubs / ornamental grasses per 100 linear feet.
2) 10 feet
with a certain amount of shrubs / ornamental grasses per 100 linear feet and a wood fence or masonry wall.
3)
30 feet
undisturbed natural buffer.
Attitude of Property Owners:
Nineteen (19)
property owners within 300 feet of the subject properties were notified of the rezoning request. The Planning Department has not received any comments regarding this application.
Additional Information:
The applicant is proposing to build 44 new parking spaces for the West Georgia Eye Care Center (WGECC).
The WGECC has a 30,000 sq. ft. building that employs 80 staff including doctors and the physical therapy tenant employs 2 staff members. According to the applicant the physical therapy tenant office will be leaving in August and they’ll be applying for a building permit to modify this existing office space to build a single specialty ambulatory surgery center.
The main building has 85 parking spaces that include 71 regular spaces and 14 handicap spaces. The WGECC applied for two separate rezoning cases back in 2000 and 2003 at 4012 and 4008 Willis Road to include 61 additional parking spaces. Both rezoning cases were approved with the condition to restrict the use to a parking lot only (see approved ordinances #00-07 and #03-68).
Attachments:
Aerial Land Use Map
Planning Area D Future Land-Use Map
Traffic Analysis
Site Plan
West Georgia Eye Care Properties Map