File #: PZ 20-008
APPLICATION: Special Use APPLICANT: Mayanee Pandya/Alex Cotta
PETITION:
To consider Special Use application to allow truck rental on property located at 4148 Marietta Street within the Community Retail Commercial (CRC) zoning district in Land Lot 873, 19th District, 2nd Section, Cobb County, Georgia.
PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST: The allow for the rental and parking of moving trucks
LOCATION: 4148 Marietta Street Parcel ID#: 19087300140
Planning and Zoning Commissioners Recommended Denial Vote 6:0 (May 26, 2020)
Background Information:
The applicant is proposing to provide a truck rental service. The applicant is requesting to have a few trucks that can be picked up at this location for rental. The operation will also allow for trucks to be dropped off after use. The site currently consists of a hand car wash that was approved via Special Use in 2019. The hand car wash is currently in operation behind the existing building. Currently the site has several other uses including a gas station, convenience store and a restaurant that will be in operation very soon.
The subject site is located in the Community Retail Commercial (CRC) zoning district. Based on Table 2-3 of the Unified Development Code (UDC) truck rental or leasing in the CRC zoning district requires a Special Use Approval. The CRC zoning district is intended to implement the “community activity center” future development established by the Comprehensive Plan. The main intent of the CRC zoning district is to accommodate commercial uses serving a citywide or regional market. The CRC zoning districts are designated on properties with access to major arterial streets and at intersections or arterial streets with other major street, where development nodes can be supported by the regional transportation network.
Surrounding Area: The subject site is surrounded by various zoning districts and Land Use activities. Located to the east and north of the subject site is the Enclave Townhome development that is zoned Mixed Use and is currently fully built out. The west of the subject site is currently zoned CRC and consists of a gas station. Located south of the subject site is Little Caesar’s and a gas station.
Analysis:
Special Use approval requests are reviewed by criteria set forth in Article 13 of the Unified Development Code. Table 2-3 of the Unified Development Code (UDC) indicates that a Special Use approval by the Mayor and City Council must be granted prior to establishment of a “Truck rental/leasing service” in the CRC zoning district.
The application should be reviewed against the following standards:
a. Will the proposed special use be consistent with the stated purpose of the zoning district in which it will be located?
The CRC district is to provide for commercial uses that serves a citywide and regional market. Though there might be a need for truck rental service within the City; the issue with this site is that there are several uses that is being operated at this one location. Also, the site backs up to the Enclave townhome development. Staff is of the opinion there will be a safety and public health concern if an additional use is approved. The additional use will allow for more truck traffic than anticipated onto this site. There may also be an increase in garbage from user of the rental trucks.
b. Will the establishment of the special use not impede the normal and orderly development of the surrounding property for uses predominate in the area?
The subject site is located along Marietta Street surrounded by commercial uses, the site also backs up to the Enclave residential subdivision. Because there are already existing uses on the site, staff is of the opinion that approval of such activity will impede the normal and orderly development of the surrounding properties. The applicant anticipates to park trucks to the rear of the building where the hand car wash is already located. Truck rental is also considered as outdoor storage and will require a fence no less than eight (8) feet for screening purposes (Section 4-230). This location is the gateway to the Downtown Development District. The construction of an eight foot opaque fence will not be desirable as one approaches the Central Business District.
c. Is the location and character of the proposed special use consistent with a desirable pattern of development in general?
The subject site is located in the CRC zoning district which encourages commercial uses that will serve the city. The subject site is surrounded by two (2) gas stations, restaurants, convenience stores, offices and residential activity. Allowing truck rental at this location will not be desirable pattern of development. This location is the gateway to the Central Business District, having trucks located on this site will not be consistent with surrounding development.
d. Is or will the type of street providing access to the use be adequate to serve the proposed special use?
The subject site is located along Marietta Street an arterial roadway. This site consists of several uses with frequent customers going in and out of the site. The addition of truck rental services will definitely increase the amount of traffic and congestion on this site. The site is also not properly equipped with parking spaces for a gas station, restaurant, hand car wash and convenience store. For all the uses to operate with safe vehicular pattern the site would need a minimum of 24 parking spaces and may not exceed of 36 parking spaces. Based on images the site is not striped and does not appear to have sufficient parking spaces. The site appears to have no more than 10 parking spaces.
e. Is or will access into and out of the property be adequate to provide for traffic and pedestrian safety, the anticipated volume of traffic flow, and access by emergency vehicles?
The subject site is located along Marietta Street an arterial roadway. This site consist of several uses with frequent customers going in and out of the site. The addition of truck rental services will definitely increase the amount of traffic and congestion on this site. The site is also not properly equipped with parking spaces for a gas station, restaurant, hand car wash and convenience store. The fence that is required for outdoor storage would prevent access of emergency vehicles from moving freely in and around the property.
f. Are or will public facilities such as schools, water or sewer utilities, and police or fire protection be adequate to serve the special use?
The proposed use will not have any impact on school capacity, water, and sewer services. It is not anticipated that fire and police will be impacted unless a fire or criminally activity occurs.
g. Are or will refuse, service, parking and loading areas on the property be located or screened to protect other properties in the area from such adverse effects as noise, light, glare or odor?
The subject site is located along Marietta Street that is surrounded by commercial uses. There will be no expansion or construction activities. The concern with truck rental services is typically trash/box removal. There is currently a dumpster located on site, if truck rental is allowed at this location there would be usage of the dumpster for the removal of truck rental refuse. This could be a potential concern especially for the Enclave subdivision that is located to the rear of the facility.
h. Will the hours and manner of operation of the special use have no adverse effects on other properties in the area?
The proposed opening hours for the convenience store is majority of the day. Truck rental would therefore coincide with the convenience store operating hours. There will be an increase in truck traffic which would allow for increase in noise level, glare from light all of which could have a negative impact especially to the Enclave townhome development.
i. Will the height, size or location of the buildings or other structures on the property be compatible with the height, size or location of buildings or other structures on neighboring properties?
There will be no expansion or construction activities to the existing building as the truck rental business will coincide with the convenience store operations. The only construction will be to install a fence which will not be compatible with surrounding uses as this would be the only commercial operation on Marietta Street with a fence. The requirements of outdoor storage is indicated below (Section 4-230).
Section 4-230 Unified Development Code
Fiscal Impact: The proposed request should not have any negative economic impact on the City of Powder Springs as infrastructure and services are already in place to serve the proposed request.
Summary and Recommendation:
Staff recommends denial of PZ 20-008 due to parking concerns, refuse concerns, traffic flow concerns and aesthetics concerns as indicated in the analysis.
Site Plan