Votes at a glance: April 2 Augusta Planning Commission

The Augusta Planning Commission took the following formal actions on April 2, 2025. This list summarizes motions, outcomes and key conditions recorded during the meeting. All items listed are recommendations of the Planning Commission; some will return to the full Augusta Commission for final action where required by ordinance.

1) Z‑25‑07 (Southern Civil Solutions / Property Developers LLC, ~41.5 acres) — Postponed. Staff requested postponement after same‑day engineering comments identified road‑system deficiencies (Gibson Road, Mason Drive, Wynne Drive) and interior road design problems. Developer agreed to host a community meeting and return with a revised concept plan addressing engineering and utility comments. Outcome: Postponed.

2) Z‑25‑17 (JSMG Development, 72 attached townhomes, Goshen Circle, ~11.31 acres) — Denied. Staff and the assistant director of traffic engineering recommended denial. The combined lot count with the adjacent Goshen Retreat (95 lots) would reach 187 and, under Section 30‑200 of the land subdivision regulations, two entrances would be required for developments of 100–200 lots. Outcome: Denied.

3) Subdivision Variance 25‑02 (JSMG Development, single access for combined subdivisions) — Denied. Traffic engineering opposed the variance; staff recommended denial. Outcome: Denied.

4) Z‑25‑13 (1810 & 1812 Gordon Highway; amend LI conditions to allow automobile body and fender repair) — Approved with conditions. Staff recommended approval to remove a previous prohibition on automobile repair, with conditions including: all repair and storage conducted indoors or inside a fully enclosed area bounded by a solid wall or finished fence (height specified by ordinance), no additions that would invalidate existing nonconforming setbacks without BZA review, installation of a 20‑foot planting strip with medium‑canopy trees along Gordon Highway, and compliance with applicable development standards at time of redevelopment. Outcome: Approved with conditions.

5) Z‑25‑15 (4149 & 4159 Woodard Avenue; RMH → B2 for event venue) — Approved with conditions. Staff recommended approval with ten conditions including conformance to concept elevations, compliance with the Augusta tree ordinance, downward‑directed lighting, a 50‑foot undisturbed buffer along the southwest property line, a 6‑foot privacy fence on the south/southwest property line, minimum paved driveway widths if required by engineering, stormwater plan at site plan stage, and applicable parking and site‑plan compliance. Outcome: Approved with conditions.

6) Z‑25‑16 (3035 Old McDuffie Road; R‑1A → LI for commercial vehicle storage yard) — Approved with conditions. Planning staff had recommended denial as expansion of LI zoning in South Augusta is inconsistent with the 2023 comprehensive plan, but the commission approved the rezoning with staff‑negotiated conditions that included installation of a 20‑foot planting strip along Old McDuffie Road (medium to large trees) and prohibition on parking or servicing vehicles within 50 feet of Old McDuffie Road. Outcome: Approved with conditions.

7) Special Exception 25‑04 (3622 Sternaday Drive; family personal care home increase from 3 to 6 clients) — Approved with conditions. Conditions include limiting the home to six residents, code enforcement inspection before business license issuance, maintenance of city and state licenses and annual inspections, compliance with state personal care home regulations, and no signage on the property. Outcome: Approved with conditions.

8) Z‑25‑18 (Planning and Development‑initiated rezoning R‑1A → B1 at Milledgeville & Bayville) — Approved with conditions. Planning staff initiated the rezoning to reflect historical commercial use and recommended that the building come into code compliance and that landscaping and planter boxes be installed along the primary façade. Outcome: Approved with conditions.

Notes on vote tallies: Most motions were decided by voice vote; the transcript records aye/no voice votes and occasional recusals (a commissioner recused on the Goshen items). Where roll call tallies were not recorded in the transcript, this summary reports outcomes rather than numerical counts.

If an item above will require further review or action before construction (for example, a traffic study, site plan approval, subdivision variance or extension of sanitary sewer), that requirement is noted in the relevant article in this package.