About The Islander. (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2024)
Page 6, December 9, 2024, The Islander Not all hearing loss requires a hearing aid. If you think you are experiencing hearing loss, see Southeast Georgia's only licensed Doctors of Audiology. we went to a hearing doctor. Trust the Doctors at Advanced Hearing & Balance Center. HEAR BETTER-NO RISK Free 30-Day Test Drive on all hearing devices we recommend Make an Appointment: (912) 267-1569 Physician-Referred ADVANCED HEARING & BALANCE CENTER Southeast Georgia Health System, Brunswick Campus 3025 Shrine Rd, Suite 490, Brunswick, GA 31520 Hwy. 17 car wash deferred By Matthew J. Permar Local businessman Joe Fendig has proposed adding a car wash to the ex isting convenience store / gas station / fast food restaurant at 2668 and 2678 Highway 17 South but needs approval of two zoning issues first. The property is owned by 95 Nascar Blvd., LLC. First is an amendment to the exist ing Planned Development (PD) district text that would make the car wash a permitted use. The second is the site plan. The Glynn County Mainland Plan ning Commission was set to hear them both last week (Tuesday, December 3), but ended up deferring both items, but not without some discussion. Glynn’s Planning Manager Stefanie Leif opened her presentation to the MPC noting that Fendig had requested his site plan application be deferred to the commission’s January 7 meeting. Leif explained that Fendig was con sidering some changes to the site plan regarding the proposed car wash. “You can hold the public hearing tonight if you want,” said Leif, “but the site plan will likely change.” Both the PD text amendment and the site plan applications require separate public hearings, so the MPC moved forward with the hearing on the text amendment. The 3.6 acre commercially zoned property is located on the north side of Hwy. 17 a mile or so east of 1-95 Exit 29. The site is also a short distance west of Andy Tostensen Rd. Since Fendig asked for the site plan to be deferred, the MPC went ahead with the discussion and public hearing on the PD text amendment. The primary issue was the buf fer along the northwest side of the property. The site plan requested a portion of the 50 ft. wooded buffer be reduced to 12 ft. with a 6 ft. privacy fence added. The reduced portion of the buffer is ad jacent to one single-family residential lot in the Boykin Ridge subdivision. In response to questions from the MPC about the buffer, Fendig’s agent, Pete Schoenauer of Tidewater Engi neering, Inc., said they asked for the deferral to try to minimize the buffer reduction. “We’re working on the site plan,” said Schoenauer, “to reduce the impact on the buffer.” MPC chairman Neal Boatright opened the public hearing. The only person who spoke was Karen Polite who spoke on behalf of the James Hopkins Estate that owns the Hwy. 17 property adjacent to the west of the site. Polite said the Hopkins Estate own ers just wanted ensure that the car wash would not have a negative on the value of their property, which is zoned Freeway Commercial. No one else spoke either in favor of or against the PD text amendment. Boatright asked Schoenauer to ad dress Polite’s question. Schoenauer said he did not think the buffer reduction would impact the Hopkins property, adding that there may be some drainage issues involved that Fendig’s site plan would improve for both properties. Schoenauer said their access off of Hwy. 17 would be public and available to the Hopkins property owners to use when they decide to develop the tract. He added that they could not legally allow water from their property to run off onto neighboring property. MPC member Gary Nevill asked Schoenauer if they had spoken to the adjacent residential property owner in Boykin Bluff about the buffer. Schoenauer said he had not yet, but wanted to. He knows who owns the property. Boatright suggested having the property owner contact county staff. Boatright added that he had lived within four miles of the area and a car wash was a much needed business. MPC member Kevin Higgins asked if there was any benefit to approving the PD text amendment that night or could they defer it as well. Leif said if they approved the amendment that night, it would to the County Board of Commissioners on Thursday, December 19. The MPC voted unanimously to defer both items to their January 7 meeting. In other business, the MPC also ap proved a site plan for an auto repair business to expand at 1026 Glynn Park Road. The site is off of the west side of Hwy. 17 a mile or so north of Chapel Crossing Rd. The site plan calls for four new ser vice bays, an additional 7,600 sq. ft., in addition to the five bays that already exist. The commission also approved the applicant’s request for a buffer modi fication. A Type E buffer is required along Glynn Park Rd. but due to the existing parking lot and fence, a 10 ft. buffer cannot be installed without re moving pavement and reducing park ing. This was also approved. Planning Manager Stefanie Leif told the MPC, the project had received site plan approval in 2022, but the ap proval had expired. Party Rental ^ American Legion Post #166 1013 Arthur Moore Drive (Gascoigne Bluff) Perfect for Indoor / Outdoor Parties • Wedding Receptions Meetings • Oyster Roasts • Birthdays • Reunions Information: 404-277-8987 • gbellis@comcast.net Competitive fuel prices Ample ramp space Comfortable amenities ranswic Fly in, fuel up, stay or be on your way. Bruns^kVoiZn *7*Alport Servin S the aviation community in Brunswick and the Golden Isles 425 Aviation Parkway • Brunswick, Georgia 31525 • (912) 264-9200
