One Macon apartment project approved; another deferred

One of two new apartment developments planned in north Bibb County received approval by Macon’s zoning commission. Commissioners had some issues with the other development and deferred making a decision about it.

The Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission approved a conditional-use permit for 1425 Hall Road to allow multifamily apartments.

CRN Development, based in Florence, Alabama, plans to build 92 units in four buildings as well as a clubhouse, swimming pool, playground and picnic pavilion. The project would include one-, two- and three-bedroom units, ranging from about 777 square feet to 1,244 square feet.

The property was rezoned to a multifamily residential district in May 2014 to allow 96 units, but the applicant failed to fulfill the conditions of the approval within the time specified and the commission staff withdrew the file. As with the previous proposed development, the applicant will be seeking tax credits for the project.

The proposed project is similar to the one previously approved by the commission.

Thomas Ward, representing CRN Development, said about 1,700 feet of sidewalk would be be added, running from the apartments to Riverside Drive.

The second apartment project, which also required approval of a conditional-use application, was for a 90-unit multifamily complex for seniors at 6601 Zebulon Road. The proposed site is west of Interstate 475 and near Ansley Village apartments.

The apartments are age-restricted so it would meet tax credit financing, said Jim Huffstetter, who would be the project manager for the project. It would be developed by Oracle Design Group Inc. of Lousiville, Kentucky, which has an option to purchase the 10-acre site from Hephzibah Children’s Home.

The multifamily development would include 10 one-story apartment buildings, each with nine units. The project would include one-, two- and three-bedroom units, a community building with fitness room, a gazebo and picnic area.

The commission voted to defer the item, particularly because commission members had some issues with the layout of the project. They also said buffers needed to be wider.

“You have got to redesign this,” Chairman Kamal Azar said. “You just have too much on this site.”

Commissioner Jeane Easom agreed, saying it was too far from some of the units to the parking lot, which would be a hardship for emergency workers or when residents are carrying groceries.

Some units were as far as 300 feet — the length of a football field — from the parking area or roadway.

“If (EMS) has to push a gurney 300 feet ... I may be half dead by the time they get to the ambulance,” Azar said.

Commissioners said they didn’t have a problem with the land use but that the layout needed too much work to approve it now.

Huffstetter said if the project didn’t get approved, the developer would not be able to meet the June 9 deadline to apply for the tax credits.

Other items on the agenda were:

CONDITIONAL USES:

3805 S. Lizella Road: Conditional use to allow an auction house, A-Agricultural District. CDM Auction, Brenda McGreggor, applicant. Approved with no business to be conducted outside.

660 Allied Industrial Blvd.: Conditional use to allow a new structure, M-2 District. WM2A Architects, Bill McLees, applicant. Approved.

5129 Mercer University Drive: Conditional use to allow auto sales and construction of a new building, PDE District. Georgia Automotive, applicant. Approved.

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS:

484 Second St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of signage, CBD-1 District. Jeff Kressin, applicant. Approved.

VIOLATIONS:

890 Orange Terrace: In violation of Section 23.01 of the Comprehensive Land Development for the city of Macon and Bibb County for putting barbed wire on newly installed fence. Mary Ann Kretlow. Found in violation.

RATIFICATION:

6326, 6330 Peake Road: Conditional use to allow platting of property before site plan approval [16-20561], PDE District. The Summit Group, applicant. Approved.

This story was originally published May 23, 2016 at 5:40 PM with the headline "One Macon apartment project approved; another deferred."