Zoning plans: industrial park on Skipper Road, restaurant on Northside, office on Riverside

Macon’s zoning commission is expected to consider Monday the rezoning of several tracts of land off Skipper Road in south Bibb County to allow an industrial park.

A rezoning application has been filed to rezone 6601, 6805 Skipper Road and part of 4995 Sardis Church Road, now zoned as planned development and agricultural districts, to a wholesale and light industrial district to allow an industrial park. The combined tracts, which are east of Interstate 75 just north of Sardis Church Road along Skipper Road, would total about 108 acres. The property is owned by the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority.

“At present, the applicant is proposing to construct a facility for Heavy Equipment Sales and Service on (one of the tracts) that will be accessed by a new driveway aligned with Jones Road,” the commission’s staff report said. The tract has about 9.5 acres.

The conceptual site plan shows a total of 43 parking spaces. The project would include equipment display areas, off-loading ramps and a storm-water treatment pond, the report said.

The remaining 98 acres would be marketed to attract industrial prospects who want interstate frontage and accessibility provided by the Sardis Church Road interchange on I-75.

The site is surrounded by mixed uses, including single-family residential dwellings, multifamily residential dwellings, multifamily residential, institutional (including a day care and a church), as well as industrial uses, commercial uses and undeveloped properties, the report said.

Once the industrial park is built out, traffic is expected to increase considerably along Sardis Church Road, which now carries about 1,950 trips per day. It is anticipated that 5,000 to 6,000 single-use trips could be generated each day, the report said.

“Based on a partial conceptual site plan submitted by the applicant, an evaluation of the entire proposal is difficult,” the staff report said. “However, the development as currently described could have compatibility issues with adjacent land uses if appropriate measures are not established to minimize negative impacts.”

‘Blighted’ residence to be demolished; office built

In another rezoning matter, plans are to demolish a “vacant, blighted residential structure” at 2350 Riverside Drive and construct a 4,000-square-foot office building with 25 parking spaces. An application has been filed by Ronald Bland and Matt Gilbert to rezone the nearly 3-acre site from a single-family residential district to a general commercial district.

“The 2040 Future Land Use Plan envisions community commercial uses for the subject parcel,” the staff report said. “Rezoning to (commercial) represents an intensification of land uses along the stretch of Riverside Drive adjacent to the subject parcel.”

However, the plan also “envisions this stretch of Riverside Drive as providing community commercial land uses and the proposed rezoning facilitates such uses.”

New restaurant planned on Northside Drive

Also, a conditional-use application is expected to be discussed Monday to allow a restaurant in an existing building.

Jacksonville, Florida-based Metro Diner plans to renovate the Capital City Bank building on about 1 acre at 3710 Northside Drive into a restaurant. The renovations would include removal of the existing drive-thru lanes and the addition of a patio with outdoor seating, according to the staff report. The property is at the intersection of Northside Drive and Tom Hill Sr. Boulevard.

“All parking requirements can be met and staff opines no issues should arise from approval of this use,” the report said.

The restaurant, with about 125 seats, plans to be open 6:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. daily and would employ at least 12 people. The restaurant serves items such as fried chicken with waffles and meatloaf, gravy and potatoes, according to the company’s website.

The meeting begins at 1:30 p.m. in the 10th floor conference room, Willie C. Hill Government Center Annex, 682 Cherry St.

Other items on the agenda are:

ITEMS DEFERRED FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

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

CONDITIONAL USES:

5009 Harrison Road: Conditional use to allow Phase I of previously approved Veteran Housing Facility, C-4 District. American Aviation Group, George Brown, applicant.

1053 Pio Nono Ave.: Conditional use to allow a place of worship, HC District. Deeper Life Bible Church, applicant.

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATNESS:

545 Third St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of a gated parking lot and landscaping, CBD-1 District. Quantum Dynamics, applicant.

830-840 High St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of building addition and rooftop patio, HR-3 District. W. Treadwell Development, applicant.

VARIANCES:

1371 Glendale Ave.: Variance in sign height requirements to allow an off-premise sign, R-2 District. Ron Burger, applicant.

4304 Pio Nono Ave.: Variance in setback requirements to allow a canopy, C-4 District. Marcos Luna, applicant.

1053 Pio Nono Ave.: Variance in in setback requirements to allow a church, HC District. Deeper Life Bible Church, applicant.

545 Third St.: Variance in setback requirements for a fence, CBD-1 District. Quantum Dynamics, applicant.

RATIFICATION:

325 Mill Meadow Road: Variance to allow fence within 8 feet of the right of way, R-1AAA District. John Jones, applicant.

This story was originally published October 21, 2016 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Zoning plans: industrial park on Skipper Road, restaurant on Northside, office on Riverside."