Commission approves special‑use permit to regularize office use at 728 Cobb Street with parking condition

The Planning Commission voted on Feb. 6 to approve a special‑use permit that will formally convert an existing legal nonconforming professional office at 728 Cobb Street to a conforming professional‑office use under the zoning code, subject to conditions requiring removal of unpermitted gravel parking in the rear and revegetation of that area.

Staff told the commission the property has operated historically as medical/professional office and is currently a legal nonconforming use. The county code encourages, when feasible, that legal nonconforming uses be made conforming through a special‑use permit; staff found the application satisfied the special‑use criteria and recommended approval with two conditions: construct a sidewalk connection from the front porch stairs to the public sidewalk, and remove and revegetate the unpermitted gravel parking area behind the building. Commissioners ultimately approved the application with the staff condition to remove the unpermitted gravel parking; the sidewalk condition was left to implementation discretion in the motion recorded.

Applicant and property owner Brad Spur described plans to invest in a substantial preservation and structural repair program for the building, including foundation work, and asked the commission to approve the special use so the restoration could proceed and financing could be secured. Supporters from the Historic Cobham Foundation and neighbors praised the proposed rehabilitation, while several neighbors asked for stronger protections to preserve the residential character of the block and to limit signage, hours or other commercial impacts.

Residents asked whether approval would create a precedent for other residential conversions. Staff and commissioners explained the permit applies to this legal‑nonconforming property; special‑use approvals and grandfathered statuses are tied to the property and can be lost if the use is abandoned for more than 12 months. Commissioners noted the county may impose conditions to limit the impacts of a specific special use; the commission attached the condition about the rear gravel parking and required revegetation.

Commissioners recorded a roll‑call vote approving the special‑use permit with the stated condition; the owner may proceed with restoration and permitting subject to follow‑up technical review and the condition to remove and revegetate unpermitted parking.