Rezoning for group home approved by Bibb zoning board

The Bibb County zoning commission agreed Monday to rezone property on Patterson Street and four properties on Napier Avenue to allow a group care home in one of the houses.

Property at 1045 Patterson St. and 2511, 2525, 2553 and 2585 Napier Ave. was rezoned from a two-family residential district to a multifamily residential district.

All the properties except one would be maintained as currently used, which is single-family, duplexes, offices and storage units.

“This had been a family compound,” said Tim Thornton, with Thornton Realty. “They assembled it over the years. ... The idea is for this to be the first of a number of future applications toward more (multifamily residential) uses.”

A proposed group care home would be located in a 3,600-square-foot house at 2525 Napier Ave. and would house up to 10 adolescent females, according to the commission’s staff report. The group care home, with five bedrooms and three bathrooms, would be staffed 24 hours a day with one to two staff members.

“I’m not changing the homes,” said property owner Sara Novrachi, who would lease the property for the group home. “I’m trying get better tenants. ... We are trying to improve it and make it better.”

The residents would not be girls with histories of substance abuse or criminal backgrounds, Thornton said.

“The plan is to provide a wholesome environment and guidance before problems arise,” he said.

The house sits on a half-acre lot with six parking spaces in an existing parking lot. No new construction is proposed.

Other items on the agenda were:

ITEMS DEFERRED FROM MARCH 27 HEARING:

4280 Fulton Mill Road (aka 4214 Fulton Mill Road): Conditional use to allow a medical waste processing facility, M-2 District. Medsafe, LLC., W. Scott Wilson, applicant. Denied.

4280 Fulton Mill Road (aka 4214 Fulton Mill Road): Variance to allow property not fronting a public right-of-way, M-2 District. W. Scott Wilson, applicant. Denied.

6420 Grantham Drive: In violation of Section 23.01 of the Comprehensive Land Development Resolution – Home Occupation Permit 16-31573, with more than one work vehicle on site and dispute of fallout shelter, A-Agricultural District. Chris Bryant. Found not in violation, but owner must enclose shipping container and enclose all vehicles and equipment within six months.

CONDITIONAL USES:

745 Poplar St.: Conditional use to allow an event rental with alcohol consumed on premise, CBD-1 District. Bruce Campbell, applicant. Approved.

4930 Bloomfield Road: Conditional use to allow an event and gathering venue, PDE District. Widner & Associates, applicant. Approved.

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS:

610 Mulberry St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of an addition and exterior stairwell in an existing building, CBD-1 District. Leonard Hindsman, Jr. LLC, applicant. Approved.

1042 Maple St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of building addition and subdivision of property into two lots, HPD-BH District. Historic Macon Foundation, applicant. Approved.

15 Spring St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of building addition, CBD-2 District. Venkat Sanjeev, applicant. Deferred.

231 Riverside Drive: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of building addition, CBD-1 District. Kamal Azar, Azar Walsh Architects, applicant. Approved, with Commissioner Kamal Azar abstaining from the vote.

VARIANCES:

3828 The Prado: Variance in side yard setback requirements to allow enlarge existing guest house to add a carport, R-1A District. Karen Alderman, applicant. Approved.

4719/4773 Raley Road: Variance to allow development with private right-of-way, R-1A District. Widner & Associates, applicant. Approved.

1735-1873 Winship St. (Portion of 1501 Mercer University Drive): Variance in setback requirements to allow a fence, R-3 District. Russell Vullo, applicant. Approved.

VIOLATIONS:

2055 Knightsbridge Road: In violation of Section 23.01 (j) of the Comprehensive Land Development Resolution – multiple vehicles and auto repair, R-1A District. Sagen Pryor. Deferred.

This story was originally published April 10, 2017 at 6:31 PM with the headline "Rezoning for group home approved by Bibb zoning board."