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Savannah council approves rezoning to allow wedding venue at historic Masonic Temple with use limits
Summary
The council approved a zoning change for 912 Drayton Street, allowing the Orchard Group to convert the former Masonic Temple into an event/wedding venue under a compromise: rezone to TC2 but limit allowed uses to TC1 plus banquet/event uses and require a good-neighbor agreement.
Savannah City Council voted June 25 to allow a private developer to convert the historic Masonic Temple at 912 Drayton Street into an event and banquet venue, approving a compromise that rezones the property while restricting future uses.
The petitioner, Josh Yellen of Orchard Group, sought a future land-use and zoning change to enable an event venue in the downtown edge area. Planning staff and the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) had differing recommendations: staff suggested denial of TC2 and instead a change to TC1 (which treats event venues as a special use), while the Planning Commission recommended TC2 (where event venues are permitted by right). Council heard public testimony from neighborhood representatives who stressed parking and noise concerns.
Yellen told the council that the applicant and neighborhood groups negotiated a compromise: keep the TC2 zoning requested by the applicant but self-limit the allowed uses to those in TC1 plus the event/banquet/wedding venue use. He said a good-neighbor agreement addressing noise, parking and operating hours had been submitted and would be enforced between the parties.
Eli Zarka, senior planner with MPC, explained that the building is legal nonconforming for parking and sits within a historic district that allows parking reductions. Jim Han Shreker, president of the Forsyth Park Community Alliance, said the neighborhood supports the change provided the applicant signs and adheres to a good-neighbor agreement that addresses noise and parking.
Council members discussed the difference between TC1 and TC2 uses and confirmed that any use not permitted by the limited set would require a return to council for special-use review. After clarifying language in the motion to stipulate the TC2 rezoning would be limited to TC1 uses plus the banquet/event/wedding use, the first reading was considered and placed upon passage and passed by council vote.
Council remarks noted the city needs more event venues and that the property owner intends to preserve the structure's exterior. Council directed staff and the petitioner to ensure neighborhood agreements are in place and to require any future change of use to return to the appropriate review process.
The rezoning decision is procedural (first reading considered adopted) and sets conditions requiring follow-up for any uses outside the limited list and for permits (for example, on-premise alcohol service would require a separate special-use approval if not covered by the limited uses).
