Plans approved by zoning board for apartment development on Thomaston Road in Macon
The Macon zoning commission on Monday approved plans for a 168-unit apartment complex that would be built on Thomaston Road.
The Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission voted 3-0 to approve a conditional-use application to allow the multifamily residential development at 6369 Thomaston Road, adjacent to Lake Wildwood. Chairman Kamal Azar and Commissioner Ashok Patal recused themselves from the discussion and vote because of conflicts of interest.
The apartments, which would be constructed of brick, stone and siding, would be built on a triangle-shaped, 13-acre undeveloped property. The proposed 294 parking spaces would exceed the 252 parking spaces required.
The development would include seven three-story apartment buildings with a mix of one- and three-bedroom units. Also, it would include a 6,000-square-foot clubhouse, swimming pool and a park.
A determination will be made later whether to include garages, said Cleve Cunningham with Cunningham & Co., the project's engineers.
"It would be an architectural item that will blend in," he said. "They would be separate structures."
In another matter Monday, the commission voted 5-0 to deny a request from a property owner in south Bibb County to return his property back to its previous farm use.
Stephen Fike filed an application to rezone nearly 22 acres at 4371 Sardis Church Road from a single-family residential district to an agricultural district.
Fike said the property is what remains from an original farm, and he planned to clear the current pastures, put up fences and plant trees and vegetables.
"I plan to grow vegetables to sell and raise livestock," he said. "Our plans are not to do anything large scale."
When questioned by the commission, he said he planned to have "maybe half a dozen" beef cattle on about 5 acres of the property.
"I just purchased this property in July 2015 with plans to do this," said Fike, who has a full-time job that he would retain.
The commission's staff said in its report prior to the meeting that the rezoning would "not have a significant impact on the adjacent area and is appropriate for the location." However, the commission had some issues with livestock on the property.
"If I was living in (a nearby neighborhood), I wouldn't want cattle grazing there at all," Commissioner Jeane Easom said.
Azar said he was concerned about an adjacent parcel that had been cleared for a residential subdivision, even though the project was apparently abandoned.
"I just don't think it's right to do this," Azar said. "I think it's unfair."
According to the Bibb County tax assessors' website, the adjacent parcel was bought by an Atlanta-based company in a 2010 foreclosure.
Other items on the agenda were:
DEFERRED FROM FEB. 22 MEETING:
3910 Arkwright Road: Conditional use to allow a convenience store with alcohol package-to-go sales, C-2 District. Jim Mitchelle, applicant. Deferred.
592 Second St.: In violation of Section 27.08 of the Comprehensive Land Development Resolution with failure to comply with conditions of Permit 00-2637, CBD-1 District. Danny Tavakol. Owner said he was currently in compliance with regulations, so commission staff was asked to monitor property.
DEFERRED FROM MARCH 14 MEETING:
339 Hines Terrace: Certificate of Appropriateness to approve construction of a new freestanding garage and fence, HR-1 District. John Baker, applicant. Approved.
CONDITIONAL USES:
1000 Masters Drive: Conditional use to allow a group personal care foster home, A-Agricultural District. Marlena and Ruchardo Belcher, applicant. Denied.
1900 Paul Walsh Drive: Conditional use to add new trucking CDL program with modifications to the parking lot, C-2 District. Rob Walker, Virginia College, applicant. Approved.
1161 Riverside Drive: Conditional use to allow an adult day care service in an existing building, C-2 District. Stuart and Tracy Thompson, applicant. Approved.
5130 Mercer University Drive: Conditional use to allow a tire service center, PDI District. Rowland Engineering Inc., applicant. Approved.
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS:
1239 Ross St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of installation of solar panels and construction of rear covered deck with ramp, HPD-BH District. Michael MacCarthy, applicant. Approved.
To contact writer Linda S. Morris, call 744-4223 or follow her on Twitter@MidGaBiz.
This story was originally published March 28, 2016 at 6:43 PM with the headline "Plans approved by zoning board for apartment development on Thomaston Road in Macon ."