The Augusta Board of Zoning Appeals approved a south Augusta townhomes project and shot down petition for a renovated boarding house in Harrisburg in its meeting Monday afternoon.
David Avery, a realtor with Auben Realty, had petitioned for a variance at 2110 Faircrest Ave., some 260 feet east of the intersection of Faircrest and Peach Orchard Road, requesting permission to construct new townhomes at three stories, rather than the two-and-a-half stories permitted in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.
Avery intends to develop 42 townhomes on the property, up to three stories, along with two one-story commercial buildings.
Senior planner Brian Kepner noted to the board that the Augusta Commission approved rezoning the five-acre parcel from Agricultural to General Business in May of 2021 for the purpose of establishing a mixed-use development of commercial space and residential townhomes.
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“One of the conditions of the approval of the rezoning application was that the proposed townhomes shall not exceed two-and-a-half stories or 45 feet without the approval of the variance by the board of zoning appeals,” said Kepner.
Though Avery’s planned townhome structures are three stories, their proposed height is 39 feet, still below the 45-foot limit in the ordinance.
Planning staff recommended denial of the petition, but also recommended adding the condition that no buildings exceed three stories if the board approved.
After vice-chair and District 2 representative Elmyria Chivers recused herself, the board voted unanimously to approve the variance.
Stephanie Clark and Frank Klimes spoke to the board on behalf of home developer Capital Rise LLC regarding its variance request for a 100-year-old, two-story, 6,800-square foot boarding house in the Harrisburg neighborhood.
Capital Rise had planned to renovate the dilapidated building, at 644 Crawford Ave., which currently has four residential units, splitting it into eight units, each with a living room, bathroom, bedroom and kitchen.
Clark and Klimes noted their aim to offer the residential space to students and to provide more housing in the area. When asked by board members whether they could build six units—the density currently allowed by the ordinances—rather than the eight units they were asking permission for, they said that eight units would prove more viable for their financial investment in the building.
The two-acre parcel where the building is located had been rezoned from single-family residential to multi-family residential in 2007 “to eliminate nonconformity at the site,” Kepner had noted.
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When the board offered time for objectors to speak, Joe Smith, who owns several properties in the area including on Crawford Avenue and Fenwick Street, came before the board, not to object but rather to question the petitioners’ intentions of building in the area.
“What kind of apartments and how much are they going to cost?” said Smith. “Harrisburg is a tough part of town.”
Klimes said he estimated the renovated apartments would rent for about $800.
Per the planning staff’s recommendations, the board voted 5 – 3 to deny the request.
The board also voted unanimously in favor of Peterbilt of Atlanta president Scott Pearson, who sought a variance to allow a 50-foot sign outside Peterbilt of Augusta truck dealership at 2923 Riverwest Dr.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
