The zoning advisory board met on Thursday, August 13, and considered a commercial rezoning request near the intersection of state route 20 and Simpson Mill Road. The ZAB recommended approval of the applicant’s request to amend the future land use map, but recommended denial of the associated rezoning request.
The subject property — consisting of 8.43 +/- acres out of a larger tract — is bordered by state route 20 to the north, undeveloped commercially zoned property and Simpson Mill Road to the west, a high transmission power line easement to the south, and Simpsons Mill Plantation subdivision to the east. The power line easement creates a buffer between the potential development and additional residential lots further south. In total, the adjacent subdivision and interconnected Parkridge @ Simpson Mill subdivision contain 515 lots.
The property is currently zoned OI (office-institutional). The OI zoning district permits medical offices, office buildings, houses of worship, assisted living facilities, or hospice care as examples of potential uses. The applicant, ARP Holdings, LLC of Conyers, GA, has applied for rezoning to C-2 (general commercial). The applicant’s representative stated the intent behind rezoning is to market the property for commercial use with no specific enduser in mind.
The conceptual site plan depicts two commercial buildings totaling 50,600 square feet. Site access would be limited to right-in / right-out access via an existing driveway off state route 20.
The future land use map designates the property as low-density residential, inconsistent with the property’s current zoning. The ZAB followed staff’s recommendation and recommended approval of the applicant’s request to amend the FLUM for commercial development at the intersection.
Planning staff recommended denial of the applicant’s request for C-2 (general commercial), but recommended approval of rezoning to C-1 (neighborhood commercial). Staff noted the adjacent property is zoned C-1 when making their recommendation.
The ZAB recommended denial of the rezoning commenting in their opinion the property should be left as currently zoned. The case must be presented to the board of commissioners during an upcoming meeting for a final decision.
