City to consider land use requests, including rezoning of old Save-A-Lot Shopping Center – WNEG

The Toccoa City Commission will meet at 5 p.m. today for a regularly scheduled meeting. The meeting will take place at City Hall, 92 N. Alexander Street. 

First on the agenda for the meeting are three public hearings on land use applications.

The first hearing will address a Subdivision Review Request from Tran Investment and Development of Buford.  According to agenda documentation, the applicant has submitted plans for a proposed subdivision at 752 Big A Road for a 8.85 acre site currently zoned R-H, or Two-Family Residential. The submitted subdivision plans call for the constriction of 21 new duplexes and specify that the land will not be subdivided and will be held in single ownership, forming a build-to-rent subdivision. 

The city has previously determined to approve the entry street to the subdivision as a private/non-accepted street, meaning that the owner will have responsibility for maintenance and no public right-of-way is required. The owner has agreed to construct the street according to city standards. The city also approved the use of a master meter for water and natural gas. 

Documentation shows that variances are needed for the current street plan, as Toccoa Code caps cul-de-sac street length at 800 feet in length, while the plans call for approximately 1,650 foot entry street.

 Neighboring property owners, including the Housing Authority, expressed concerns regarding runoff, which is already a concern on the property and surrounding properties, and the impact the construction may have. 

The Toccoa Planning Commission, in response to to the concerns, visited the property, and an impact report requested from PTS Engineering stated “based on the hydrological analysis provided by Foothills Land Design, the overall post-development runoff from the Tran Duplexes will actually be less than the existing runoff. The proposed stormwater retention pond is sized to limit the outflow to less than the current runoff rates for the 2, 5, 10, 25 and 100-year storm events.”

At the Sept. 19 meeting, the Toccoa Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the subdivision review, allowing the project to proceed. 

The second Public Hearing addressed a rezoning request from Frazier Investments LLC for Property Located at 81 Center Plaza Drive – known locally as the former Save-A Lot shopping center.

Frazier Investments LLC, is requesting that the property at 81 Center Plaza Drive be rezoned from B-1, Neighborhood Shopping District, to B-IV, Wholesale Business District. The property is owned by A&M Properties. The 9.40 acre parcel contains 90,000 square feet of commercial space and 220 parking spaces. The structure was built in 1973 and is currently 90% vacant.  The included plans call for full remodeling and repair of the shopping center, including: a new roof, new exterior columns, new paint, mansard repair, parking lot cleaning and restriping, cleaning of the rear-side of building, sprinkler system inspections and/or repairs, and extensive repairs of the interior spaces.  The Toccoa Planning Commission has recommended the approval of the rezoning request at the September 19, 2024 regular meeting.  

Toccoa zoning ordinances include four levels of commercial districts, listed as B-I, B-II, B-III and B-IV. 

B-1, under which the property is currently zoned, is titled Neighborhood Shopping District and includes the following designations:

Under Neighborhood Shopping District zoning, is defined as “neighborhood shopping district for planned shopping centers and limited retail activities conducted in a unified development designed to serve the surrounding neighborhood and community with convenience goods, retail services and personal services.”

Approved uses in B-1 include: Automobile parking lots, Banks, Service stations, Offices, self-serve laundries, furniture sales, liquor stores, retail bakeries, retail stores, perennial services such as barber shops artist studios and restaurants, 

Several service businesses, such as dressmaking, appliance repair and catering are allowed under B-1 zoning, but “shall employ no more than five persons in a single shift on the premises.”

Used car lots and storage lots are allowed as long as they are located more than 25 feet from any residential district. 

The commercial district (B-II) is a district for general business and limited manufacturing activities, including retail sales and personal services. Employees for some approved uses in this district are limited to 10. 

The central business district (B-III) is a “district permitting the most intensive use of land in combination with a variety of retail and service uses. The district is intended to provide for the central and headquarter function of economic activity in the city. It is intended to keep this district centrally located and compact so that a maximum convenience is afforded to the users and occupants of this central business district. Restrictions on the number of employees are removed from regulations in this zone. 

Examples of permitted uses include Storage warehouse, provided such warehouse is accessory to a retail establishment, Wholesaling establishments, Printing, publishing or engraving, or “Any other use of a similar character and which is not more objectionable by reason of the emission of odor, dust, smoke, gas, fumes, noise or vibration than the uses herein enumerated.”

B-IV zoning, which is being requested by Frazier Investments LLC, is defined by Toccoa Code as “a district for those business activities that require more space than commercial uses serving the central business district and that require heavy vehicular access,” allowing for tractor-trailer usage necessary for some approved uses such as warehouses and mini-warehouses. There are no specified restrictions on “objectionable” emissions such as odor, dust, smoke, gas, fumes, noise or vibration as is specified in the B-III zone. 

Currently, the only B-IV zoned properties in Toccoa, approximately 30 parcels, are clustered along East Franklin and  East Currahee Streets, between South Hill Street and Big A Road, including the old cotton mill, with a few scattered parcels on Pond Street.  

The third public hearing is addressing a Zoning Variance Request for Property Located at 181 and 183 Highway 123 to adjust the location of a driveway between the two properties, both owned by the same owner. 

Commissioners are expected to vote on the three land use requests during the regular meeting following the public hearings. 

Also on the agenda are Consideration of Ordinance to Amend the Alcohol  Beverage Ordinance to add, at the recommendation of the Toccoa Alcohol Control Board, an article regulating Brew Pubs, Breweries, Distilleries, Micro-Breweries and Micro-Distilleries. A copy of the proposed article is included below.

Consideration of Bid Award for Demolition of Structure Located at 234 W Whitman Street is also included on the agenda for tonight. Demolition of the structure includes asbestos abatement. The residence at 234 W. Whitman Street has been a part of several crime investigations over the past years, including shootings, stabbings and drug investigations.  

Commissioners will also consider approving the donation of a 2011 Crown Victoria no longer in use by the Toccoa Police Department to the Toccoa Stephens County Airport to be used as a transport vehicle for those flying into and out of the airport. 

The next meeting of the Toccoa City Commission will be on October 28.

Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting, and are welcome to address commissioners during the Public Comment section of the meeting.  Contact information for commissioners is available attached to this story on wnegradio.com.

COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS – PER TOCCOA ORDINANCE

DIVISION 3. – USE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS

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