About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 2000)
development buffers of 25, 50 and 75 feet on perennial streams and rivers. ACC Senior Planner Bruce Lonnee informed the team of approxi mately how many parcels of land would be affected by each of those options. The development ordinance steering com mittee has recommended that the Commission adopt a 50-foot buffer. If it does, a total of 340 undeveloped parcels would have to remain 50 percent regulated. A 25-foot buffer—the state minimum— would constrain 289 parcels at 50 percent. A 75- foot standard would constrain half the acreage of 425 parcels. Data gathered by the ACC planning staff shows that much of the affected acreage lies within the floodplain, and can not be developed regardless of the environmental buffer. However, the number of affected acres does increase as the buffer widens. Lonnee then presented the Commissioners with a tree species list—an exhaustive compila tion of tree characteristics and their viability in Athens' regional climate—and a "Rest Management Practices" (BMP) booklet for growing trees in Athens-Clarke. Lonnee explained that the proposed develop ment ordinance bases canopy requirements on fully grown trees, and that undisturbed trees will be counted toward those requirements. To prevent builders from planting "twigs " Lonnee said, the code calls for saplings with at least a two inch diameter. Crace told the Commissioners that the caropy ordinance, based on the BMP, would be adopted and maintained much like a building code. He said he would arrange for a short presentation to the full Commission to explain thp tree species list. "Is my proposal going to be ignored?" asked Carl Jordan, sitting with the small audience in the Planning Department conference room where the meeting was held. Jordan served on the Future of Trees Committee—formed at the request of the ACC Urban Tree Advisory Committee—as the development ordinance was being crafted. He said his committee's report was designed as an "application" of the BMP, as the BMP alone provides no incentive for preserving standing trees during development. Crace told Jordan his report would be offered to the Commission as an alternative to the BMP. Moving on to planned developments (PD), Lonnee told the Commissioners that Athens- Clarke currently has 2161 PD-approved lots, 139 of which are vacant. Zoning regulations are often relaxed for PDs in exchange for other considerations, such as design standards or maintaining open space Commissioner Jordan said that the ACC planning staff should consider maintenance and moni toring of PDs before issuing permits. Also, he said, many developers use up staff time and resources, but their PDs "never see the light of day." The Commissioners decided to establish a two-year sunset clause on PD construction. Owners of vacant PD lots will be notified in writing that they have six months to register them after the new ordinance is implemented, and two years after registration to begin con struction. Unregistered lots will lose their PD status. The Commissioners did not reach a firm con clusion on multi-family units in Agricultural- Residential (AR) and Residential-General (RG) zones. In Athens-Clarke, ~onnee reported, there are 2047 duplexes, 90 triplexes and 11 quad- plexes—not counting single family homes which have been divided into multi-family units. Commissioner Jordan suggested overlay dis tricts for duplex developments in single-family areas. An overlay would grandfather existing units, but would curb fuither building. Lonnee said isolated structures were being studied by staff. The development ordinance work team will meet again on September 18 at 5 p.m., and will present its findings and recommendations to the full Commission at the next ordinance work ses sion, now scheduled for September 28 at 7 p.m. Both meetings \nii be held at 12G W. Dougherty Street. BARNETT SHOALS PLAN CLOSER TO APPROVAL The Athens-Clarke County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a hotly contested request to rezone a 56-acre parcel on Barnett Shoals Road. The land has long been the subject of a debate that epitomizes arguments over "green- belt" development in Athens. Owner Charles Floyd, who is selling his house and the sur rounding acreage so that he may retire, asked that the property be rezoned from RS-20 to RS- 15 to accommodate a 125-unit subdivision. The higher density will likely increase the parcel's vrlue to interested developers. Residents of Snapfinger, Chamberlin and Brookstone subdivisions have grown accustomed to Floyd's property, with its acres of scenic pas ture flanked by stands of aged trees, and are sensitive to any plans to develop it. Last year, they successfully fought Floyd's plan for a retire ment community there. Since then, Floyd, who has lived on the land since 1966, has proposed several versions of a residential development for his neighbors' approval. Floyd's proposal also calls for a planned development (PD) waiver, allowing for town- houses and reduced setbacks, which are not nor mally permitted in RS-15 zones. In exchange for the increased density, Floyd has agreed to commit over 23 acres, most of it in contiguous green space around the edge of the property, to a permanent conservation easement with The Athens Land Trust. Without a conserva tion easement, all of the land would likely be clear-cut and leveled in order to maximize devel opment of the lot. "Our primary objective was to preserve as much of the land as we could feasibly do," Floyd said at the September 7 Planning Commission meeting, "and that's what this plan does." Laura Hall, of The Athens Land Trust, told planners that her organization would monitor the conservation easement yearly, and would work with whoever develops the land to make sure the protected acreage remains undisturbed. "This is a great way to have this green space protected at no cost to the community," said Snapfinger resident Lee Carmon. The extra units requested by Floyd—a total of six, according to planning staff—are "more than worth this green space that we'ie going to protect," Carmon said. "The density, it seems to me, is part of the compromise," said David Sweat, who also lives in Snapfinger. Sweat said development of the prop erty is "inevitable," and that Floyd's plan is preferable to possible alternatives. Not everyone agreed. On September o, the Planning Commission received a petition signed by over 200 people opposed to the rezoning. At the meeting, Snapfinger resident Diane Teague listed the concerns of the petitioners, including the density of the development, the ensuing traffic, and impact on area schools. Teague is one of several residents who also fear the planned 28 townhouses will be rented to UGA students. While this is illegal in RS zones, residents say, the law is not always enforced. Sharon Bellah said the townhouses would attract singles, couples, and "worst of all, college students." Bellah has nothing against students, she said, but they "don't belong on Barnett Shoals." "I would much rather have him [Floyd] destroy the land," Bellah said. 'That would at least maintain the single family cheuacter of our neighborhood." During his rebuttal, Floyd, remarked: "I was there before almost anybody, and I didn't like all the development around me either." Before the Planning Commission vote, Planning Commissioner Scott Weinberg—himself a Snapfinger resident—said Floyd's plan is the first he's seen that "actually gives something back" in exchange for PD status. "I think this is a very well drawn plan," said Planning Commissioner Lucy Rowland. "'Density' is not a bad word... It's design that's important. ' Floyd's proposal will go before the ACC Commission at its October 3 voting session. C * " Holistic Health Care targets three components of health to correct imbalances and remove stress to allow the body to heal. SYMPTOMS ARE A SIGN THAT YOUR BODY NEEDS ATTENTION. Call for a FREE CONSULTATION Dr. Paul Wickster Alternative Solutions for Your Health Care Needs Athens Kinesiology, P.C. 706-227-3325 ^AUj • Stationery • Gads • Home Accmtt • Soaps •A* Frontier I for your soul and shelter • 142 N. 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