The regularly scheduled meeting of the Pooler Planning and Zoning Commission was held on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. Members present were Larry Olliff, Charles Archer, Wilson Roberts, Mary Louise Lanier, Scotty Fletcher, Nannette Ringham and James Reardon. Councilwoman Rebecca Benton, Councilman Bruce Allen, Zoning Administrator Jackie Carver and Zoning Assistant Kimberly Classen were also in attendance. Chairman Wilson Roberts called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Charles Archer gave the invocation and Wilson Roberts led the Pledge of Allegiance.

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as printed upon a motion made by Larry Olliff. Motion was seconded by James Reardon and passed without opposition.

PUBLIC HEARING:

OLD BUSINESS:

1. Landscape Plan Review for Port City Bumper at 1376 East Highway 80.
Commissioner Reardon stepped down to excuse himself from any discussion of this item.
Jamie Csizmadia of Kern-Coleman & Company presented the revised landscape plan to the board for their review and recommendation. Per request of this board, tree calculations and a “tree save plan” were added to the landscape plan. Eight (8) significant trees are labeled on the plan to be saved and the planting of 29 new trees are labeled on the plan to meet the requirements of the tree ordinance. With no public comments, Commissioner Archer made a motion to approve the landscape plan for Port City Bumper at 1376 East Highway 80. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Olliff and passed without opposition.

NEW BUSINESS:

2. Site Plan/Landscape Plan Review for Pooler Park West II located on west Highway 80 (formerly known as Daniels Tract). Commissioner Reardon stepped down to excuse himself from any discussion of this item. Terry Coleman and Wesley Martin of Kern-Coleman & Company presented the site plan/landscape plan to the board for their review and recommendation. Commissioner Archer questioned the one (1) handicap parking space located in front of building #3. Mr. Coleman agreed to add the additional handicap space to the site plan stating he would still meet parking requirements. Commissioner Ringham pointed out that the access to this site is off of Highway 80 and not the Pooler Parkway as shown on the vicinity map. Commissioner Fletcher recommended the dumpster enclosures have a hinged type gate to allow the gates to close automatically. Not being a requirement, Mr. Coleman stated that he would convey this concern to the developer. Further, the dumpster enclosure would be of masonry material as recommended by this board during the sketch plan review. Commissioner Ringham questioned if the project would be developed in phases. In response, Mr. Coleman stated the developer has plans to construct the entire project at the same time. With no public comment, a motion was made by Commissioner Olliff to recommend approval of the site plan for Pooler Park West II on West Highway 80, formerly known as the Daniels Tract. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Fletcher and passed without opposition. Regarding the landscape plan, Chairman Roberts pointed out that the plan meets the tree ordinance requirements with 89 trees required and 89 proposed on the site. Commissioner Archer questioned if the proposed islands are large enough to accommodate two (2) large trees. In response, Mr. Coleman stated that the trees are small maple trees, not large canopy trees. Therefore, Commissioner Ringham made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Archer, to approve the landscape plan for Pooler Park West II. Motion passed without opposition.

3. A recombination & major subdivision plat of lots 1, 3, 4, 7 & 8, Section 2, Lots 8-11 & 17, Section 3, a portion of an unopened road, and Tracts 1, 2, 2A & 2B, Houston Tract for Northpoint Industrial, LLC (aka Dean Forest Business Park). Commissioner Reardon stepped down to excuse himself from any discussion of this item. Travis Randall of Kern-Coleman & Company presented the recombination and major plat of The Houston Tract to the board for their and review and recommendation. This recombination plat creates four lots, Distribution Drive right-of-way and an area labeled as future development and common area. Lot 3 is the site for construction of the proposed NRS Warehouse development. The NRS Warehouse site will be served by a private septic system and the developer is posting a performance bond to guarantee completion of the road and water improvements in order for the plat to be recorded. Public comments: Attorney Josh Walker, on behalf of adjacent property owner William (Bill) Hunter, addressed the board with specific objections to the recombination of the Houston Tract. He objects to the use of the unopened road as a drainage/utility easement and access being cut-off to Mr. Hunter’s property referenced on the plat as Lots 6 and 7, Section 3 of the Houston Tract. Due to short notice, he would ask the board to either deny the request to recombine these lots or at least table to a later date to give him ample time to prepare. Chairman Roberts asked Attorney Walker to come up and show him where Mr. Hunter’s lot is located on the plat. Travis Randall and Terry Coleman of Kern-Coleman & Company and Mr. Bill Hunter were also involved in the discussion with Chairman Roberts regarding how the 30’ unopened road is shown and labeled on the plat. With no other comments, Commissioner Fletcher made a motion to recommend approval of a recombination and major subdivision plat of lots l, 3, 4, 7 & 8, Section 2, Lots 8-ll & 17, Section 3, a portion of an unopened road, and Tracts 1, 2, 2A & 2B, Houston Tract for Northpoint Industrial, LLC. Before the motion was seconded, Commissioner Archer asked for clarification on whether the unopened road was removed from the plat. In response, Chairman Roberts stated that the plat will not change, the 30’ unopened road is still there as a separate tract of land. Further, he reiterated that this is not a change in the zoning but only a recombination of the existing lots. This was confirmed by Travis Randall of Kern-Coleman & Company. The motion was then seconded by Commissioner Archer and passed without opposition. Commissioner Reardon returned to his seat.

4. Final Plat Revision for “The Gates”, Phase 1B at Savannah Quarters. Kevin Smith of Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company presented the final plat revision for “The Gates, Phase 1B to the board for their review and recommendation. Mr. Smith explained the plat has been revised to include the addition of a 15-foot drainage easement along the rear property lines of lots 81 thru 89 as shown on the approved construction plans. Also, the 20-foot drainage and utility easement between lots 91 and 92 has been reduced to 15 feet. With no public comment, a motion was made by Commissioner Olliff to recommend approval of the revised plat for “The Gates”, Phase lB at Savannah Quarters. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Reardon and passed without opposition.

5. Site Plan Review of a 1,980 sq. ft. addition to the Hargray Wireless building located at 9 Mill Creek Circle. The petitioner was out of town and unable to attend. The site work included grading around the building, the relocation of the dumpster pad, and the addition of four (4) new parking spaces which were not needed to meet the parking requirements. Since this was such a small addition, there were no engineering comments. Therefore, a motion was made by Commissioner Reardon to recommend approval of the site plan for a 1,980 square foot addition to the Hargray Wireless building located at 9 Mill Creek Circle. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Ringham and passed without opposition.

6. Posting of Performance Bond/Final Plat Review for Woodlake Townhomes, Phase 1 located off Wildcat Dam Road at the end of Old Central Road. Craig Zuck of Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company and Grant Beeson of Abercorn Site, LLC presented the final plat for Woodlake Townhomes, Phase I to the board for their review and recommendation. The subdivision is located between Wildcat Dam Road and Pooler Parkway. Phase I includes 17 single family lots and 40 townhome lots. The developer is requesting to have the subdivision plat approved and recorded by posting a performance bond in the amount of $1,726,906.11 to guarantee completion of the improvements. Commissioner Archer had some questions regarding where the 200’ right-of-way begins and ends and how the easements, the road, electric poles and the residential lots all fit within the 200 feet. Public comments: Ike LaRoche, adjacent property owner, appeared before the board to state for the record his opposition to the development. With no other comments, a motion was made by Commissioner Olliff to recommend approval of the posting of a performance bond and approval of the final plat for Woodlake Townhomes, Phase I. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Ringham and passed with Commissioner Fletcher opposing.

7. Sketch Plan Review for an office/warehouse on Lot 1 in the Mega-Site Business Park off of Pine Barren Road. Commissioner Reardon stepped down to excuse himself from any discussion of this item. Jamie Csizmadia of Kern-Coleman & Company presented the sketch plan to the board for their review and recommendation. The 15.05 acre site is zoned I-l (Light Industrial) and is located east of I-95 and south of Pine Barren Road. The sketch plan includes the construction of a 15,000 square foot office/warehouse called “Waterworks” for distribution purposes on Lot 1 with Lot 2 being developed at a later date. With adjacent lands zoned R-A (Residential–Agricultural), a twenty (20) foot vegetative buffer is proposed along the north, east and south property lines. Chairman Roberts stated that with Lot 2 not being developed at this time, the site plan for the “Waterworks” development for Lot 1 should show what portion of the detention area is designed to meet storm water requirements. Commissioner Olliff questioned if stone paving was considered crush-n-run, and if so, it needed to be granite based. The engineer’s comments were items that should be considered when the site plan is designed. In response to one of his comments, Ms. Csizmadia stated that water and sewer for the project will be served by the City of Pooler and not a private well/septic system. The access easement has already been increased from 30 to 40 feet as suggested by Bill Nicholson in another comment. The board also reminded her about the need for handicap parking spaces. With no other comments, a motion was made by Commissioner Archer to recommend approval of the sketch plan for an office/warehouse on Lot 1 in the Mega-Site Business Park off of Pine Barren Road. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Ringham and passed without opposition. Commissioner Reardon returned to his seat.

There being no further business to discuss, Commissioner Reardon made a motion to adjourn at approximately 7.03 p.m. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Ringham and passed without opposition