The Augusta Board of Zoning Appeals voted in favor of a new rental subdivision off Wheeler Road in its meeting, Monday afternoon.
The Ansley Cottages LLC petitioned for a variance from the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance at 1247 Augusta West Parkway, requesting to reduce the south side setback of the property from 10 feet to two and a half feet.
The subject tract, more than four acres, includes space for the development of the Cottages at Ansley subdivision. The $15 million development consists of some 75 single-family homes, built to be rented rather than purchased, explained Jessica Perry to the board, speaking on behalf of Cottages at Ansley.
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The parcel also includes a narrow private road, now called Cottage Drive, providing access to the neighborhood. The property also provides shared access with 1249 Augusta West Parkway, an adjacent commercial parcel.
The developer aims to install a seven-foot-tall sign at Cottage Drive to advertise the apartments and nearby businesses.
“If we went with the exact measurements needed, the sign would be positioned in the retention pond that runs along Augusta West Parkway,” said Perry to the board members. “If it’s placed on the opposite side of the road, there’s utilities there. The visibility is not there. So, this is our only small bit of property that we can utilize.”
Though the planning and development staff recommended disapproval of the request, the board would vote unanimously to approve the setback reduction.
Augusta Housing and Community Development, on behalf of the Land Bank Authority, petitioned for three variances at 2506 Pineview Drive to reduce setbacks on three sides by 20%.
The undeveloped, 0.7-acre tract, zoned R-3B Multiple-Family Residential, is where the applicants intend to build six single-family detached homes at 852 square feet each. The property sits between a Circle K convenience store on Deans Bridge Road and single-family homes on Pineview.
Planning staff noted that the Augusta Commission approved rezoning the property in June of 2017, and that the Board of Zoning Appeals had approved a similar layout in 2021, but the approval was voided since the homes were never developed.
As no representative from either the Housing and Community Development department or the Land Bank were present at the meeting, the board voted to postpone the request to next month’s meeting.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
