Zoning commission defers plan for north Bibb stores; wants better design

An application for a convenience store and package store in north Bibb County was deferred by the zoning commission Monday because its members want to see better drawings of the design.

“This is a prominent corner in the area that Bibb County is expanding,” said Kamal Azar, chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission. He said that what was presented to the commission was “a nondescript box.”

A conditional-use application was filed by Prakash Patel to allow the stores at 4490 Riverside Drive at the intersection with Hall Road. It is 1.2 miles from a Circle K convenience store with 10 fueling stations approved by the commission last month at 4001 Northside Drive.

“You need to get with an architect ... we need to see the design and get a better idea of what you’re proposing on that corner,” Azar said. “What you’re proposing now is like a shed .... this is not appropriate for that location.”

The stores would be built on a vacant 1.2-acre corner lot adjacent to a storage facility and a small office complex and across Hall Road from Butler Automotive’s facilities.

The proposal calls for the construction of a 3,500-square-foot convenience store with four fueling stations and a canopy. It also would include a 7,225-square-foot package store, which would be about 20 feet from the convenience store. The parking lot would have 37 spaces to serve both stores.

“We’ll be glad to bring something back to you,” said Mark Whitley with Whitley Engineering Inc., representing the applicant.

The matter was deferred in a 3-0 vote until the Nov. 14 meeting. Jeane Easom was absent and Ashook Patel recused himself from the discussion.

In another matter, a Phoenix, Arizona, used car dealer and finance company with more than 140 dealerships across the country, plans to move into a former Butler dealership building which also has served as a worship center.

Drive Time Automotive Group plans to operate six days a week at 3960 Riverside Drive, said Sean Fitzgerald of Paradise Valley, Arizona. The business, which would be closed on Sunday, would employ 10 to 15 people, he said. From 70 to 80 cars would be stored on the 3.08-acre site.

DriveTime, which was founded in 2002, operates in 26 states and employs more than 5,000 people across the country.

Other items on the agenda were:

ITEMS DEFERRED FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

957-989 Oglethorpe St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow exterior modifications and demolition and reconstruction of existing building, HPD-BH District. Michael Robinson, applicant. Approved.

4690 Houston Ave.: Conditional use to allow retail sales (cellphone), M-1 District. Sue Lee, applicant. Approved as a convenience store.

CONDITIONAL USES:

156 Madison St.: Conditional use to allow a professional office building, HPD-District. Star Choices Inc., applicant. Deferred.

3720 Riverside Drive: Conditional use to allow permanent outside sales within a parking lot, C-2 District. Brad Hardy, Hardy Farms Peanuts, applicant. Approved.

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS:

740 Mulberry St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of exterior modifications/renovations, CBD-1 District. Rusty Poss, applicant. Approved.

156 Madison St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of a professional office building, HPD-District. Star Choices Inc., applicant. Approved.

VARIANCES:

3720 Riverside Drive: Variance in setback requirements to allow permanent outside sales within a parking lot, C-2 District. Brad Hardy, Hardy Farms Peanuts, applicant. Approved.

This story was originally published October 10, 2016 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Zoning commission defers plan for north Bibb stores; wants better design."