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Planning commission OKs Valvoline landscape waiver to accommodate narrow corner lot design
Summary
The commission granted a waiver allowing required foundation plantings for a new Valvoline site to be relocated elsewhere on the site because existing easements and site constraints make the standard 10-foot planting strip impractical; motion carried 8-0.
The Greenwood Advisory Planning Commission on Monday approved a landscape waiver for a Valvoline Instant Oil Change site at the southeast corner of U.S. 31 and East Worthsville Road that allows required foundation plantings to be relocated elsewhere on the property.
The petitioner requested relief from the Unified Development Ordinance’s foundation-planting requirement for buildings facing roadways because the narrow site, oil-delivery operations and an existing BP easement limit where plantings can be installed. The commission approved the waiver subject to the condition that the required foundation plantings be relocated in their entirety elsewhere on site and that Greenwood staff approve final locations.
Why it matters: The change permits the site operator to maintain safe, operational truck access for oil deliveries while ensuring landscaping requirements are met somewhere on the parcel. Staff recommended approval, saying the relocation would still meet the ordinance’s intent.
What was said: Mike Mihalyk, the petitioner’s design consultant, said the narrow site and an oil-access hose used for deliveries made placement of foundation plantings close to the building impractical. "The truck will actually pick the oil the used oil up out of a hose here. So the closer they can be to the building, the easier it is for them to do that," Mihalyk said, explaining the operational constraint. Planning staff indicated support for the relocation as long as all required plantings are provided elsewhere on site.
Motion and outcome: Commissioner King moved approval of the waiver as requested and described; Commissioner Billborn seconded. The commission voted 8-0 in favor.
Next steps: The petitioner must show revised planting locations to Greenwood staff for final approval prior to permit issuance.
