The Augusta Planning Commission voted to recommend rezoning a warehouse in the Old Augusta area, though not as the applicant requested.
Augusta-based company ACP Services LLC petitioned to rezone its 1.9-acre parcel at 1369 Fifteenth St., seeking to consolidate the property’s Neighborhood Business (B-1) and General Business (B-2) into one Light Industrial (LI) zoned district.
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An 81,022-square foot warehouse is on site, used by John Turner Transportation Company for storage and tractor trailer parking. ACP Services purchased the tract in November of 2022 from Arsenal Services, according to property records, who bought it from Easter Seals East Georgia in 2021. Earthgrains Bakery used the building as a maintenance facility for its delivery vehicles before selling it to Easter Seals in 1997.
The planning staff had recommended denial of the request in its staff report, citing residential areas surrounding the parcel, the fact that the John Turner company is currently operating without a business license and that a code enforcement case is active on the building for improper maintenance.
Allen Grinalds, manager of ACP Services, told the planning commissioners that the John Turner Co. was in an active lease when he purchased the property, and that they don’t plan to renew it. Moreover, he expressed the intention to redevelop the property with the aim of drawing industrial business.
“I think there’s probably a lot better opportunity with an LI designation to hopefully attract new business onto that property,” said Grinalds, noting the site’s proximity to the overpass. “I think it gives a little bit more flexibility.”
Planning and Development Director Carla Delaney stressed to the commissioners that, alongside the property neighboring residential districts, a key reason planning staff recommended denial was because of what is permitted in an L-1 zoning, such as truck parking, breweries and distilleries and lumber storage.
Delaney also noted, however, that should the commission decide to approve, staff recommended approving the property for B-2. The commissioners would ultimately vote unanimously to recommend approving rezoning the property entirely to B-2.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
