Planning commission approves special exception for six-bed family personal care home in Barton Chapel Hill

The Augusta Georgia Planning Commission approved a special exception (SC-25-11) to allow a family personal care home for up to six residents at 3602 Abbey Road in the Barton Chapel Hill area, subject to conditions including state licensing, annual inspection reporting and a successful code enforcement inspection prior to issuance of a city business license.

Amanda Cruz, planner I, told commissioners the single-story, 2,008-square-foot house built in 1972 sits on a 0.31-acre lot in an R1A residential zone and that the applicant sought permission to operate a licensed family personal care home serving no more than six clients with at least one staff member per shift. Staff reported one written opposition in the packet and said multiple neighbors appeared at a pre-application meeting and at the public hearing in opposition.

Applicant Dorinda Anas introduced Toni Seals, an agency representative who explained state licensing rules that family personal care homes for two to six beds must contract with a licensed agency, whereas facilities with more than seven beds must be licensed as a provider agency. Neighbors who spoke in opposition, including Charles Carson and members of the Richmond County Neighborhood Association Alliance, said they viewed the proposed use as more like a business and asked that neighborhood character and ordinances be respected.

Staff recommended approval with conditions: the home be limited to six residents including live-in staff counting toward the maximum, successful code enforcement inspection before issuance of a city business license, continued maintenance of a Georgia license, proof of compliance with the cited OCGA provision and annual inspection reporting; no signage would be permitted. The applicant accepted the conditions and the commission approved the recommendation.