Planning commission recommends rezoning for Gibson Road townhome project with density cut by 25%

The Augusta Georgia Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a rezoning to R-1E for property around 3330 Gibson Road to support a proposed townhome community after adding a condition to reduce proposed density by 25% and requiring infrastructure improvements.

Kevin Boyd, development services manager, presented the rezoning request, describing a consolidated application covering roughly 49.22 acres across multiple parcels. The petitioner originally proposed 299 attached townhome units at an overall density of 6.07 units per acre and 31% open space, public streets with access on Mason Road and Old McDuffie Road, guest parking, clubhouse, pool and detention ponds. Boyd noted the site currently has public water but said there was no sanitary sewer on-site at the time of presentation.

Petitioner representative Kavya Shivedi told the commission she had reduced the original plan’s density from near 8 units per acre to about 6, held multiple community meetings and eliminated road connections that neighbors opposed, saying the team had worked with planning staff to address concerns. Traffic engineering staff reviewed the traffic-impact worksheet and recommended no full traffic study at the rezoning stage, although engineering said road and related site improvements would be required during site-plan review.

Traffic engineering explained that Old McDuffie Road’s existing average daily traffic would increase but remain under typical capacity thresholds for a two-lane road; the department said a full traffic study is not required for this development but that the developer must work with traffic engineering during final design to mitigate impacts. The development’s engineer, Gary Bennett of Southern Civil Solutions, said sewer is available at Mason Drive and would be extended into the development and that Mason Drive would be improved to engineering standards as part of final design.

Commission discussion focused on density, building materials and infrastructure. Commissioner McKnight expressed concern about construction quality in some recent townhome projects and asked whether vinyl siding would be limited; staff recommended alternating elevations with no more than 30% vinyl on any single elevation. The petitioner, representing a developer rather than the eventual builder, said they could not unilaterally guarantee final exterior-material choices but indicated willingness to work with planning staff and builders during site plan review.

A substitute motion to lower overall density by 25% was moved, seconded and adopted by roll call; the commission’s recommendation therefore forwarded the rezoning with the staff conditions plus the density reduction. Staff conditions included minimum lot widths of 26 feet, specified front setbacks, alternating elevations with no more than 30% vinyl on an elevation, sidewalks on both sides of new streets and extension of sidewalks to Mason Road, 15-foot street yards along Old McDuffie Road, compliance with the Augusta Tree Ordinance, at least 25% open space (not counting detention ponds), and that amenities be installed and operational before the 150th certificate of occupancy. The staff report also made site-plan approval a required subsequent step and noted that approval of rezoning does not by itself permit construction.

Ending: The commission’s recommendation to approve the rezoning to R-1E with a 25% density reduction and specified infrastructure/architectural conditions will be forwarded to the full Augusta Commission for final action; engineering and site-plan review must be completed before construction may begin.