Planning commission recommends rezoning of three North Augusta parcels for small‑lot residential

The Norfolk Gas Planting Commission on its regular March meeting recommended approval of RZM25-001, a rezoning request to change three North Augusta parcels from general commercial to R7 residential small‑lot to allow the lots to be combined and a duplex constructed.

Planner Mr. Paradise told the commission the application covers "three different parcels" and that the owner seeks to rezone them from "general commercial to R 7 small lot," including an abandoned right of way that will be consolidated so the parcels "can combine them all into 1 lot of record and build a duplex there."

Cliff Russell, who said he was representing the owner, Chris Allen, described the site as mixed in age and zoning. "The property is a real Heinz 57, I guess, of very old North Augusta," Russell said. He said the owner hopes to "put it together as all residential" because "some of it's commercial, some of it's right of way, some of it's abandoned," and that consolidating the lots would allow the owner to "build a nice duplex there" to add housing in North Augusta.

The commission opened a brief public-hearing period; no members of the public spoke. After discussion, an unnamed commissioner moved to recommend approval of the rezoning and a second was made. The motion to recommend RZM25-001 carried; the chair announced it had passed. The commission cited the standard criteria in the record and referenced "NADC section 18.11 0.5" as the ordinance section used to evaluate the application.

The rezoning recommendation will proceed to the next step in the city’s review process for final action by the authority that makes zoning decisions under local procedures.