The Augusta Planning Commission recommended denial of a rezoning request to make way for a proposed south Augusta townhome development, Monday afternoon, a month after residents gathered in the commission chambers to oppose it.
In April the planning commissioners had voted to postpone considering the petition by the Southern Civil Solutions firm and its client, Property Developers LLC, to rezone some 41 acres for a development of more than 300 townhome lots.
In Monday’s meeting, planning staff noted the engineering department had recommended that the interior road of the proposed subdivision be realigned to be more perpendicular and augment sightseeing, and the utilities department urged Mason Road be removed as an access point due to its proximity to Gibson Road.
Commissioner Robert Cooks asked the applicants if reducing density was possible. Vinesh Danak of Property Developers responded by saying a reduction in density is expected as the project moves further along in its design phase.
Commissioner George McKnight asked if the development could be reconfigured so that half of the lots would be for detached homes.
“I’m seeing that these large-scale townhomes have a lifespan of five years, and they start traveling downhill with the occupancy, and then they end up being a burden on the community,” said McKnight, suggesting that a preferable alternative would be a combination of detached single-family homes and townhomes, so that former could support the latter. Danak said that this could be possible, but that currently the townhome project is more marketable.
Former Augusta Commissioner Bobby Williams returned to speak on the matter, expressing reservation about the restriction of Tate Road to use as solely emergency access, suggesting the addition of more exits.
Andrew Jordan Davis, who also spoke against the petition last month, requested of Bayvale neighborhood residents that the project exclude the townhomes planned on Gibson Road,
“Because it’s not conducive to the people that live on Gibson to look out their house and see townhomes blocking their view,” Davis said.
McKnight motioned that the item be postponed another month, but Cooks’ substitute motion for denial was seconded. Commissioners Stephanie Clark and Steve Lariscy voted against the denial, Commissioner James O’Neal abstained, while all other commissioners present voted to recommend denial.
Skyler Andrews is a reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
