Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cherokee County adopts Highway 20 East overlay with new parking standard
Summary
The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted text amendments to Articles 16 and 4 of the zoning ordinance to create a Highway 20 East corridor overlay; the board chose a parking standard requiring 1 in 4 spaces on large-site developments be designed to accommodate oversized vehicles.
The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Aug. 20 to adopt design standards for the Highway 20 East corridor, including a new parking requirement for large-site developments.
Planning staff member Dana Spade told the board the proposed text amendments to Article 16 and Article 4 would require angled parking on large-site developments and offered options for how many spaces should be sized for oversized vehicles. "The choice is at least 50% or 1 in 4 of the provided parking spaces must be designed to accommodate for oversized vehicles," Spade said, illustrating the impact with a Kroger off East Cherokee example.
Commissioner West moved to approve the overlay with the 1-in-4 option; Commissioner Wetherbee seconded the motion. Commissioners debated angled versus end-to-end configurations and the practical needs of drivers towing boats or small trailers, with several members noting angled parking provides easier pull-through access. Chairman Harry Johnston said the amendment's goal is to "create some site development and architectural standards for the Highway 20 Corridor East Of Canton" so the corridor presents a more attractive frontage as it expands.
The motion carried unanimously. The approved text amendments direct staff to incorporate the 1-in-4 parking provision into Article 16.3.5F (proposed) and related details for the overlay. Planning staff said they would post the updated materials online and proceed with implementation steps.
The overlay is intended to influence the type and quality of nonresidential development that will occur as Highway 20 East becomes a wider arterial, with the county emphasizing frontage aesthetics, parking design, and flexibility for site designers to accommodate different tenant needs.
