Planning commission recommends approval for dumpster location variance at Gateway Crossing (LongHorn parcel)

The Jasper City Planning Commission on Jan. 20 recommended approval of a variance that would allow the dumpster for the proposed LongHorn Steakhouse at Gateway Crossing to be located toward the site’s access point rather than behind the building, contrary to planning staff’s recommendation.

Planning staff presented the dumpster location request and recommended denial, saying the city’s ordinance requires dumpsters be located to the rear of buildings and that placing them at the vehicular access would "compromise the aesthetic quality of the proposed development." Staff applied the standard variance criteria and concluded the request did not meet those tests.

Project representatives and civil engineering consultants told the commission the parcel’s orientation and the development’s internal drive network make the internal ring road the effective access point and thus the functional frontage for the site. David Parkgold, who described himself as a civil engineer consultant, said the issue hinges on whether the internal access road is a public right-of-way and how 911 addressing and GPS dispatching assign addresses. "This really comes down to the interpretation of what's a public street," David Parkgold said, noting prior approvals and 911 addressing practices.

Developer and property-owner representatives said the building’s entrance and primary visibility face 515 and Camp Road and site circulation dictates dumpster placement; they also cited prior variances for other tenants in the development. Staff and some commissioners acknowledged the code language leaves room for interpretation and that jurisdictions vary in how they treat internal drives for addressing and frontage.

After discussion, a motion to recommend approval passed (mover and second not recorded in the transcript). The recommendation to allow the dumpster in the proposed location will be forwarded to city council for final action.