Planning commission denies rezoning request for auto lot

The Columbia County Planning Commission on Thursday rejected a rezoning request that it said contradicted the county's Growth Management Plan.

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The property owner wanted to rezone about an acre at Washington and Halali Farm roads in Evans from neighborhood commercial to general commercial and bring an automotive sales business to that corner.

Phillip McCormick, who represented the property owner, said there were several automotive businesses within 1,000 feet of the area.

"We're not trying to change the dynamics of the area," he said. "Everything fits."

McCormick said the owner would like to retain the current zoning if an automotive sales business could be brought to the property.

The same rezoning request was denied by the planning commission and board of commissioners in 2006, according to county planner Dave Van De Weghe. Last year, the application was withdrawn after disapproval was recommended.

The property is surrounded by other general commercial zones, but Van De Weghe said many of those are unused and for sale.

Planning Commissioner Gary Richardson made a motion to approve the rezoning request.

"Being in the middle of continuous C-2's (general commercial zonings), I see it fitting," he said.

Commissioners Thom Tuckey and Jim Cox voted against the motion.

Tuckey said there is an excess of general commercial zoning in the area, which is "compounding a problem that we're trying to fix."

Also at the meeting, nearly five acres that houses a warehouse with the area's only skateboard park was rezoned so it could operate legally.

The property in question, at 4304 Sudan Drive in Martinez near Adventure Crossing, was rezoned from light industrial to heavy commercial.

The 7,500-square-foot skateboard park has been operating at the warehouse for the three years, said Benjamin Bell, the property owner.

The rezoning comes as the city of Augusta has shut down its public skate park on Damascus Road.

In other zoning news, two land parcels at Mims and Evans to Locks Roads were rezoned professional.

The acre, which is across the street from the Sikh Temple, was previously zoned special and single-family residential.

Also at the meeting, the planning and zoning board approved a minor revision to 36 acres of a planned unit development on Old Belair Lane.

The revision moved the location of a stormwater detention pond and added 3.3 acres of wetlands.

In addition, the board approved the following final plats: 42 lots in Summerlin III off William Few Parkway; Canterbury Farms Parkway off Chamblin Road; and an extension of Grimaude Boulevard in the Horizon North Industrial Park subdivision.