Commission recommends rezoning for Evans outparcel but denies variances for drive-through and setback

The Columbia County Planning Commission recommended approval of a rezoning at 515 North Bel Air Road that would unify split C1/C2 zoning to C2, but the commission recommended against requested variances that would allow a drive-through between a proposed bank building and the public road and would remove the maximum front setback requirement.

Planning staff presented the rezoning and an associated variance request. Staff recommended approval of the rezoning to make the site consistently C2, and recommended disapproval of the variances given design and Evanstown Center overlay concerns.

Gerald Chichester, attorney for the applicant, told the commission the project team had worked with staff and remained open to alternatives. Joel Delli Carpini, the site engineer, said the proposed drive-up feature was an ATM rather than a full-service drive-through and estimated stacking for the ATM at about two cars. “When you drop down to Washington Road, you know, it's got about a 20 foot drop off there,” Delli Carpini said as he described how topography affects building placement and screening.

Quinn Gatto, representing Phillips Edison and Company (the owner), described several iterations of the site plan and said the development team had reduced the number of variances requested during negotiations with staff.

After discussion, the commission voted to recommend approval of the rezoning (RZ 250501). On the variance package (VA2505-1), a motion to recommend disapproval carried. The transcript records votes by voice/hand; no roll-call tallies were provided.