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Council denies rezoning for Green Springs commercial property, gas station signs

by

Sydney Cromwell

The city council followed Theda Street residents' wishes at tonight's meeting, denying a rezoning request for a Palisades Boulevard building that would have housed a hair salon.

The decision was made after a public hearing continued from May 8 to tonight. The hearing had been continued to allow the property owner of 285 Palisades Boulevard, Cindy Wade, to speak, but she was not present at the May 22 meeting. Her request was to rezone the property from Office Building District to Green Springs Urban Renewal District (GURD) to allow Charles Jason Emerson to open Salon Inclusion Family Hair Spa.

Ward 5 Representative Peter Wright, acting as president pro-tem in Bruce Limbaugh's absence, initially suggested moving the hearing again to their June 12 meeting. However, Ward 3 Representative Walter Jones and Ward 5 Representative Jennifer Andress objected and asked to hear the opinions of the residents who came out for the hearing. The council would later unanimously vote to decide the issue rather than waiting.

The concerns from residents were similar to those expressed at the May 8 hearing, mainly about the possible other uses permitted under the GURD zoning including fast food restaurants or businesses open late. The idea of a salon itself did not seem to raise issues. Residents also said that rezoning this property, though it's already commercial for some restricted uses, could open the door to nearby properties doing the same.

"If there is a possibility to change to other types of business, I would oppose that," one homeowner said.

"It will absolutely have a domino effect," another resident said. "I just urge you to listen to the residents who live there. We have a great thing going on."

The council unanimously voted against the rezoning request.

Also tonight, the council gave only partial approval to a set of sign variance requests from the owners of the Circle K gas station at the corner of Lakeshore Drive and Columbiana Road.

As part of a larger renovation plan for the site, the owners requested seven signs that needed variances due to height, size, total number of signs or the city's restrictions on pole signs. After resistance from the special issues committee, the owners offered to reduce the size of their new pole sign to match the one currently on the property, and to create a monument base out of stone for the pole signs. They also removed one sign from their request.

However, the tallest pole sign would still be 25 feet high, well outside the city's 6-foot limit, and its 140 square feet in size is also larger than permitted. Council members said despite concessions from the owners, they wanted to enforce the city's ordinance and not set a precedent for other businesses to request similar variances. Ward 4 Representative Barry Smith said she has seen other stations install monument signs that would work within the city ordinances, and encouraged the Circle K station to consider doing the same.

The council voted 7-2, with Ward 2 Representatives Mike Higginbotham and Andrew Wolverton opposing, to approve four attached signs on the building. They voted 1-8, with Wright in favor, to deny the two monument signs and unanimously against a small freestanding directional sign.

The council also:

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