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HomeMy Public PortalAbout20070212_PC_agenda_mtg 1 PLANNING COMMISSION CITY MANAGER Libby Bacon Diane Schleicher Demery Bishop Charlie Brewer ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Barry Brown, Chairperson Sharon Marshall Sandy Chandler Bill Garbett CITY ATTORNEY Susan Hill Edward M. Hughes John Major Chuck Powell, Vice Chairperson MINUTES Planning Commission Agenda Meeting February 12, 2007 – 7:00 p.m. Planning Commissioner Barry Brown called the February 12, 2007 agenda meeting to order. Other Commissioners present were: Libby Bacon, Demery Bishop, Charlie Brewer, Sandy Chandler, Bill Garbett, Susan Hill, John Major, and Chuck Powell. Barry Brown reminded the Commissioners that this agenda meeting was for reviewing materials and finding out if anything was needed for the regular meeting, and the Commissioners should hold questions about the petitions for the Public Hearings. Bill Garbett said one on the purposes of agenda meetings was to look at the applications to see that they are complete and to request more information if it was needed. Brown and Garbett agreed that the merits of petitions were not discussed at agenda meetings. John Major asked if the new members were watching tonight since they were not yet sworn in. Brown said the new members could ask questions because by the time the petitions came up at the Public Hearings, the new members would be sworn in. Brown said that the swearing in and the elections of a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson would occur at the February 20 meeting. Brown said the approvals of the January 8 and January 16 Minutes would be at the meeting on February 20. Mel Gordon represented a Site Plan Approval petition for 1002 Highway 80, PIN 4-0026-11-002, Zone C-2. The request was for a new two-sided billboard. Gordon said one of the problems the Atlantis Inn has is visibility and the billboard is a necessity. He said some time back he applied to have a billboard and at that time the billboard ordinance was interpreted to allow a mobile billboard as long as it was constructed well and did not create a hazard in a storm and was tied down well. He said he rented a piece of property and made arrangements to put the billboard on it. He said he spent over $1,000 having the billboard constructed, and he put it on the property. Gordon said one of his objectives was to let people know what is happening on Tybee. Gordon said he leased the land, got approval from the City and the Department of Transportation, had the billboard built, put it on the property, and then one of the neighbors was upset about it, and it turned out that Gordon’s due diligence was not keen enough: the owner of the property did not have the right to have a billboard on the property because the lot was restricted to commercial development. Gordon said he now wants to put a permanent sign on a new location. Gordon talked about the portable sign now being on the proposed site of the permanent sign and that the portable sign was currently covered with a tarp. He said the DOT caused the tarp: they told him that since he did not have City approval and the sign was not on the original property Gordon had to move the sign or cover it. He said they want to put a two-sided sign there and that it would announce the Atlantis Inn on one side and the other side would be available for rental. Gordon said that by the time he got ready to move the portable sign to the new piece of property the City changed the Code, so now he has to put a permanent sign and he would like to get permission to do that. Susan Hill asked if where the sign is now is where the permanent sign would be. Gordon said yes. John Major asked what form the approval from the City had taken. Gordon said he got approval from the Assistant City Manager at that time [Dee Anderson]. Major and Gordon discussed the form of approval. Gordon said he had a City and a DOT permit. Major asked about the revenue. Gordon said the second side of the billboard would reduce his cost of having the first side. Garbett asked about the sketch of the proposed billboards. Garbett asked if the lighting could be from above. Gordon said he preferred that type of lighting. Charlie Brewer asked if someone designed the sign for Gordon. Gordon said no, that he looked at other signs to come up with the size. Brewer said it looked like a 13- or 15-foot setback. Gordon said it was the setback that the Code requires. Demery Bishop asked for a better drawing before the February 20 meeting. Gordon said he would have to go to an architect or engineer, and that would cost more money. Brown asked if the City had a copy of 2 the lease from the landowner. It was determined that the City had authorization from the landowner for Gordon to pursue Site Plan Approval for the sign. Gordon said it would be the landowner’s sign and Gordon would rent spaced on it. Libby Bacon clarified that Brian Curran owned the property. Major clarified that it was the portable sign that was covered with plastic. Brown said the new sign would be 20-feet wide and 10-feet high. Brown said there was no way to know how long the sign would be there. Gordon said that was correct. Brewer asked about the back sides of the two-sided sign. Gordon said the V-shape would block both backs. Garbett clarified that the Commissioners were looking at a survey of the lot. Bishop asked what the sign would look like and he talked about beautification concerns. Gordon said it would be a picture of the Atlantis Inn with some verbiage of what they offer. He mentioned the possibility of a mermaid on top. He talked about the differences people have when determining what is in good taste. Brown asked Gordon to take a picture of the mobile sign. Gordon agreed to do so but said he did not want to be restricted to having the same verbiage on the permanent sign. Powell said they would like more detail of the structure of the sign. Brown said that staff would make sure that the sign meets Code. It was decided to put the petition on the February 20 agenda. Major said that Tybee’s Code says that any sign on the state highway has to be consistent with the Georgia Outdoor Advertising Law, and, if there is any conflict, the more stringent law shall apply. He asked if anyone knew the Georgia Law. Gordon said the Georgia Outdoor Advertising Law is DOT. Major said there are two: DOT and the Georgia Outdoor Advertising. Mack Kitchens represented a Zoning Variance petition for 101 Nineteenth Street, PIN 4-0009-09-001, Zone R- 2. The request was for 5-foot setback variances on both sides for a new single-family home. Chuck Powell asked if Kitchens and the owner were aware that it was a substandard lot of record and may not be buildable. Powell said it was only 3,642 square feet, and for R-2 you need 4,500 square feet to build. Barry Brown said a substandard lot prior to zoning would be grandfathered to build on. Powell said it was sold in 1998 by the City of Tybee to the Butler’s. He said it has been on the tax records for 5 or 6 years as a substandard lot, unbuildable, with a tax of $500 a year. Kitchens said his Aunt gave it to the City and the City gave it back to her because they did not swap land. Powell said Kitchens will need to address the issues at the regular meeting. Bill Garbett asked about the front setback being from a point rather than a property line. Kitchens said the point is the property line. Garbett said it was a triangular lot, and a setback comes off of one of the lines. Kitchens said that was when there are four lines. Garbett said Kitchens has three so he needs a setback off a line. Brown said a setback can come off a point. The front setback was discussed further. Susan Hill said she thought the Land Development Code addressed triangle lots. Sharon Marshall, Economic Development Director, said she could bring Code Sections to the next meeting. Brown said that the Butler Avenue and the Chatham Avenue rights-of-way come together beyond the point. Kitchens said Butler Avenue has an 80-foot right-of-way. Garbett said he was not worried about the roads; he was worried about the lot. Powell said there was no tree removal permit posted on the property. Kitchens and staff said that the permit had been issued, posted, and the sign was removed when the work was completed. Powell asked if the City issued permits to remove trees before issuing building permits. Brown said it was not uncommon to do that, and he talked about various types of permits. Powell asked if a land disturbing permit had been issued. Kitchens said they are working toward that. Powell said the land was very disturbed. It was decided to put the petition on the February 20 agenda. Brown told Kitchens to bring a survey showing the rights-of-way of Chatham Avenue and Butler Avenue. The front setback was further discussed. Clyde Johnson represented a Zoning Variance petition for 13 Battery Drive, PIN 4-0026-02-003, Zone R-2. The request was for a variance from the 35-foot height limit for a 60-foot flagpole. Johnson said everything at the site that is visible from Highway 80 would eventually be public property and would be know as Battery Park. He said looking out toward the water, that property would also be public property. He said the City is contemplating a lease arrangement with the Department of Interior where the City would lease the water property to the Department of Interior, who plans to duplicate Battery Hallack and mount one of the actual cannons that fired on Fort Pulaski there permanently. Johnson read a portion of a letter from Charlie Fenwick, Superintendent of Fort Pulaski. Johnson talked about the proposed flagpole being capable of periodically flying the garrison-size flag, which is 20 feet high. He said the relighting of the Cockspur Lighthouse is scheduled for March 18 and that relighting will be viewed by various dignitaries from the Battery Drive site. Chuck Powell asked if the flagpole was going on City property or Johnson’s property. Johnson said it would be deeded to the Department of the Interior or the City of Tybee, be he owns it now. Powell asked for a copy of the letter from Fort Pulaski for the next meeting. Charlie Brewer asked how large the flag was. Johnson said the garrison flag would only fly for special occasions and would be 20- by 38-feet, but normally a smaller flag would be flown. Brewer asked where the nearest residential lot was. Johnson said across the street. Barry Brown asked for a site plan of the subdivision and for the heights of some other tall objects. John Major asked if the neighbors had been notified. He was told 3 that property owners within 200 feet would be notified of the upcoming Public Hearing. Libby Bacon clarified with Johnson where the entrance to the residential area was in relation to the public area. Bill Garbett asked about lighting of the flag. Johnson said he had no plans to light it. Brown asked if the Coast Guard had been contacted regarding the height of the pole perhaps affecting the helicopter. Johnson said he would contact them and the aviation department. Major asked if Cullen Chambers and the Historical Society were aware of it. Brown said they were aware of the park. Johnson said they have been talking about the flag for the ceremony on March 18 for a long time. Sandy Chandler said Fort Pulaski had already cleared trees on their side. The history of the Fort Pulaski battle was discussed. Chuck Powell said that the DNR controls the historic markers, and the one by the Tybee Island welcome sign would be more appropriate by the Battery Park entrance. Johnson talked about other signage that has been discussed for the site. The variance petition was placed on the agenda. The meeting adjourned.