Staff Report General Development Plan/Master Plan Aldermanic District: 1 County Commission District: 2 MPC File No. 16-000526-PLAN February 23, 2016 1101 Bull Street One West Park Avenue 1107 Bull Street 2-R Zoning District 0.324 Acres PIN 2-0044-31-014, -015, -016, -017, -018, -019 Gilbert & Ezelle Harvey Gilbert, Agent Thomas and Hutton Engineering- Mike Hughes SOPA, LLC, Owner Brad Baugh Ellen I. Harris, MPC Project Planner Nature of Request The petitioner is requesting approval of an Amended General Development Plan/Master Plan for a proposed mixed use development to be located at the southwest corner of West Park Avenue and Bull Street within a 2-R zoning district. Findings 1. Notification: A courtesy notice was sent to all property owners located within 300 feet of the subject site on Wednesday, February 12, 2016. Also, signs announcing the proposed petition were posted on the subject site along West Park Avenue and Bull Street. 2. Purpose: The purpose of the proposed amended General Development Plan/Master Plan is to: Combine what was known as Lots 3, 4, 5, and 6 into one lot proposed as Lot 4; Construct a three story building on the new Lot 4; Revise the footprint of Lots 1 and 2 to include the west side yard and rear setbacks on both lots into the parcels for Lots 1 and 2; One building along Park Avenue and two buildings along Bull Street have been eliminated; Provide parking at West Park Lane. 3. MPC Variances: A number of variances were requested and approved by the MPC in conjunction with the previous General Development Plan/Master Plan approved by the Metropolitan Planning Commission on December 10, 2013 and revised on January 13, 2015, almost all of which are no longer needed or relevant with the revised site plan. The following variances have been approved:
Page 2 A 12 percent lot coverage variance from the maximum permitted lot coverage of 60 percent for Lot 6; A three space off-street parking variance from the required 18 spaces. A 35 foot rear yard setback variance from the required 35 feet for Lot 3, Lot 5, and Lot 6; A 5 foot side yard setback variance from the required 5 feet for Lot 1 along the western lot line; A 5 foot side yard setback variance from the required 5 feet for Lot 2 along the eastern lot line; A 100 square foot lot area variance from the required 2100 square feet for Lot 2; A 1,100 square foot lot area variance from the required 2100 square feet for Lot 3; A 1,200 square foot lot area variance from the required 2,100 square feet for Lot 5; A 1,050 square foot lot area variance from the required 2,100 square feet for Lot 6; A 12 percent lot coverage variance from the maximum permitted lot coverage of 60 percent for Lot 5; A 14 percent lot coverage variance from the maximum permitted lot coverage of 60 percent for Lot 3; and, A 2 percent lot coverage variance from the maximum permitted lot coverage of 60 percent for Lot 6; The only variance still required is a 5-foot side yard setback variance from the required 5 feet for Lot 2 along the eastern lot line. 4. ZBA Approval: The project will also require two approvals from the Zoning Board of Appeals. Use #31 Banks and Offices three stories or less require ZBA approval in the 2-R district. Additionally, the project will also require a variance from the 300-foot maximum separation for remote parking (to 1,200 feet). 5. Site: The subject site is 0.324 acres in size and is located at the southwest corner of West Park Avenue and Bull Street. The site is vacant and unoccupied with the exception of use as an off-street parking lot. The adjacent land uses and zoning districts include: Location Land Use Zoning
Page 3 North South East West Park Avenue Forsyth Park C-R [1] West Park Lane Attorney s Office 2-R Single Family Residential 2-R Bull Street Restaurant 2-B [2] American Legion 2-B West Single Family Residential 2-R [1] C-R Recreation - Conservation [2] 2-B Community Business/Residential 6. Proposed Uses: The petitioner is proposing a mixed use development consisting of the following uses: A three story office building with a 4,540 square foot footprint on Lot 4 at the corner of Park and Bull and two residential townhomes and two carriage houses on Lots 1 and 2. Although the proposed development will be considered as a unified General Development Plan/Master Plan, the petitioner has informed staff that the unified development will be submitted as three individual fee simple lots in the near future. 7. Buildings: The proposed development will consist of two semi-attached structures with carriage houses and one detached structure. The design of the new construction will be reviewed by the MPC Board. 8. Ingress/Egress: The site will have frontage on West Park Avenue, an existing paved public street with a 75-foot right-of-way, on Bull Street, an existing paved public street with a 75 foot right-of-way, and on West Park Lane, an existing unpaved public lane with a 20 foot right-of-way. However, vehicular access to the parking lot on Lot 4 will be limited to West Park Lane. 9. Parking: The required parking for this development is 41 spaces based on the requirement of one space for each of two residential units and one space for every 200 square feet of net area. The proposed development will have five off-street parking spaces and one handicap accessible space along the lane. Each of the residential units (if subdivided), will comply with the required off-street parking requirement on-site. The remaining 33 parking spaces are proposed to be leased from Bull Street Baptist Church through a long term remote parking agreement. 10. Traffic Generation: The proposed office use is less intense than the previous mixed use proposal which would have resulted in peak hour generation of approximately 12 trips, which is below the 100 trip threshold necessary to require a traffic impact analysis.
Page 4 11. Trash: A dumpster enclosed with an 8 x 10 wall is proposed at the lane. 12. Mail: The method by which the mail will be delivered will probably be a box on each unit and one for the office building. However, the U.S. Post Office must approve the method to accommodate the mail delivery system. 13. Greenspace: The required greenspace for this development is 2,823 square feet, based on the minimum requirement of 20 percent of the 14,113 square foot site. The proposed development will have 2,050 square feet of greenspace which is 773 square feet less than required. The petitioner has indicated he will pay into the City tree fund to satisfy the deficiency. 14. Water, Sewer, and Public Services: The proposed development will be provided water and sanitary sewer by the City of Savannah. The site is served by the Chatham County Metropolitan Police Department, and the City of Savannah Fire Department. The site is also served by the Chatham Area Transit Authority, bus routes Number 14 Abercorn and Number 4 Barnard. Both of the routes are two blocks from the subject site. 15. Drainage: Drainage plans have not been submitted and are not required in conjunction with a General Development Plan. A Drainage Plan will be required in conjunction with a Specific Development Plan or a Major Subdivision. 16. Buffers: The site abuts a public street right-of-way on the north and east and does not require a buffer along these streets. The abutting use on the west is similar to the proposed townhouse and therefore does not require a buffer. 17. Sidewalks: Sidewalks presently exist along the entire site on West Park Avenue and Bull Street. 18. The proposed Amended General Development Plan/Master Plan, if approved, would not be detrimental to the property owners in the general area, the Victorian District, or to the City of Savannah. Recommendation: The MPC Staff recommends approval of the previously approved variance for the five-foot side yard setback variance from the required five feet for Lot 2 along the eastern lot line. Staff further recommends approval of the amended general development plan as proposed, subject to the following conditions: 1. The portion of West Park Lane abutting the subject site must be paved in accordance with the minimum standards as required by the City of Savannah prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy Permit. 2. Approval of the mail delivery system by the United States Post Office.
Page 5 3. Show the address of the proposed structures as follows: The townhome on the area identified as Lot 1 7 West Park Avenue The carriage house on the area identified as Lot 1 8 West Park Lane The townhome on the area identified as Lot 2 5 West Park Avenue The carriage house on the area identified as Lot 2 6 West Park Lane The office building on the area identified as Lot 4-1101 Bull Street 4. Approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals for Use #31 Banks and Offices three stories or less and a variance from the 300-foot maximum separation for remote parking (to 1,200 feet). 5. The signed lease agreement for the remote parking is provided to MPC staff. 6. Approval by the City of Savannah review departments including the City Landscape Architect, the City Traffic Engineer, and the City Engineer.