Rezoning approved for landscaping and construction business in south Macon
Even though the Macon-Bibb zoning commission was a little concerned about creating a new zoning district on Sardis Church Road, it approved an application Monday for a landscaping and construction business.
Alan Cardwell, owner of Macon-based Deep South Landscaping and Construction LLC, applied with the Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission to rezone 4771 Sardis Church Road from an agriculture district to a planned development commercial district.
The .82-acre site is about a quarter mile east of Skipper Road.
Cardwell plans to develop a contractor's shop, storage, parking and staging area for his business.
He told the commission his business has outgrown his home, which is nearby on Bennett Road. Also, since Sardis Church Road is being widened and the site is about a half mile from Interstate 75, he believes the area will become more commercial.
"I think we're the first on this stretch of road that will be looking for the same thing," he said. "I have not had any opposition from any neighbors. ... I will keep it clean and neat and plan to add value to the neighborhood."
After questioning by commissioners, Cardwell said he would add landscaping to the site in addition to a screened fence to help provide a border between his property and adjacent properties and the road.
Executive Director Jim Thomas told the commission that one advantage to the planned development commercial zoning is that "everything is a conditional use." This means that even if Cardwell's business goes away, anyone else would have to get the commission's approval for any other use on the site.
Commissioner Bryan Scott said he didn't have a problem with the rezoning after learning that the commission would have oversight over any future use and because the neighbors didn't object to Cardwell's plans.
The commission voted 4-0 to approve the rezoning. Commissioner Jeane Easom was absent.
Other items on the agenda were:
ITEMS DEFERRED FROM PRIOR MEETING:
1000 Northside Drive: Conditional use to allow an office park expansion, R-3 District. Widner & Associates, applicant. Approved.
CONDITIONAL USES:
6999 Knoxville Road: Conditional use to allow outdoor sales at an existing convenience store, A-Agricultural District. Clifford Calloway, applicant. Approved.
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS:
478 Pine St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of signage, CBD-2 District. Gary Keefe, applicant. Approved.
373 Orange St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow exterior modifications, HR-3 District. Bell Property Management, applicant. Approved.
378 Second St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow exterior modifications to an existing commercial facade, CBD-1 District. Russell Poss, applicant. Approved.
1148 Bond St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow exterior modifications, HR-3 District. Nathan Dees, applicant. Approved.
VARIANCES:
4600 Mercer University Drive: Variance in platting of property, R-1A District. Phillip Brown, applicant. Approved.
6237 Zebulon Road: Variance in parking stall requirements, PDE District. Cunningham & Co., applicant. Approved.
To contact writer Linda S. Morris, call 744-4223 or follow her on Twitter@MidGaBiz.
This story was originally published October 26, 2015 at 10:08 PM with the headline "Rezoning approved for landscaping and construction business in south Macon ."