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Commission advances draft large-scale retail overlay; PZB and staff seek tighter buffers, design standards
Summary
Commissioners advanced first reading of a proposed land-development amendment that would define "large-scale retail" (60,000+ sq ft), set design standards for corridor redevelopment and add overlay buffers along State Road 26 and US 2741.
The City of Newberry commission advanced the first reading of a land-development regulation change aimed at regulating large-scale retail projects along primary corridors.
City staff and planners proposed standards for a dedicated overlay to govern large retailers, defined in the draft as a single-building retail establishment of 60,000 square feet or greater. The draft establishes buffer zones, streetscape and building-design standards and use restrictions intended to preserve "small-town character" and reduce monolithic box buildings.
"We wanted to ensure the downtown character is preserved and that developments address the street and pedestrians," said John Paul Perez, principal planner, as he reviewed draft requirements that include articulated facades, prominent customer entrances, pedestrian connections and limits on long, unbroken walls. The Planning & Zoning Board recommended a 60,000-square-foot threshold (staff had initially referenced 80,000) and suggested widening buffer zones: Zone 1 (15'25 feet), Zone 2 (25'50 feet) and Zone 3 (50'100 feet) as development approaches rural edges.
The ordinance would require projects that meet the threshold to be reviewed as special exceptions by the PZB and Board of Adjustment, incorporate design requirements into the overlay, and prohibit certain uses (manufactured home sales, mobile-home sales) in corridor locations. Staff also said shared-parking credits and administrative options could reduce parking footprint where appropriate.
Why it matters: Many proposed and active developments front State Road 26 and US 2741. The draft aims to shape how large retail projects orient buildings and parking, how they relate to sidewalks and the downtown, and how much land they consume for surface parking.
What happens next: The text amendment passed on first reading and returns for a second reading with additional drawings and refined buffer maps. Staff said they will provide typical section drawings and work with the PZB recommendations to refine the ordinance before final adoption.
