Impact
WARD: 3
COMMITTEE: Community Development
$ IMPACT: N/A
Title
Public Hearing - Variance Request - V18-037 - Allow lot size below 3 acres within S Cobb Drive Corridor Design District - Land Lot 412 -2.38 acres - 3379 S Cobb Drive - Travis Pruitt and Associates - David Blumenthal
Body
ISSUE: The applicant is requesting a variance to reduce the minimum lot size within the S Cobb Corridor Design District below 3 acres. Sun Trust would like to subdivide their existing lot which is non-conforming at 2.38 acres. The subject property is comprised of a stand-alone bank branch, and a stand-alone drive thru. Section 717.71 of the Zoning Ordinance requires parcels along S Cobb Drive have a minimum lot size of 3 acres. The subject property is occupied by Sun Trust Bank and was developed in 1971. The lot is non-conforming as it is 2.38 acres, and the S Cobb Corridor Design District requires minimum lot size of 3 acres. The site is comprised of a stand-alone bank branch and stand-alone drive thru. Sun Trust would like to subdivide the property to create Tract 1, where the bank building is located with an area of 1.60 acres, and Tract 2, where the drive-thru is located with an area of 0.78 acres. The applicant is proposing to redevelop Tract 2, by demolishing the drive-thru and building a prototype bank branch and drive-thru combined.
BACKGROUND: None.
RECOMMENDATION/REQUESTED ACTION: The applicant is requesting to deviate from the development standards established by the City for minimum lot area of 3 acres along S Cobb Drive. The applicant is requesting a variance to subdivide the existing non-conforming lot of 2.38 acres into two lots. According to Section 1403 of the Zoning Ordinance, variances must be reviewed under the following standards: (1) Whether there are unique and special or extraordinary circumstances applying to the property; (2) Whether any alleged hardship is self-created by any person having an interest in the property; (3) Whether strict application of the relevant provisions of the code would deprive the applicant of reasonable use of the property; and (4) Whether the variance proposed is the minimum variance needed. Community Development has reviewed the request against the variance review standards and found it to be in compliance with four (4) of the four (4) standards. Similar variances have been approved throughout the city. At the time of this report, Community Development has not received any phone calls regarding the variance request. After a review of the standards above, Community Development believes that the encroachment will not adversely affect surrounding residents; therefore, staff recommends approval of the requested variance with the following condition:
1. Approval of the requested variance shall be conditioned upon the development of the property in substantial compliance with the subdivision plat submitted with the variance application.
REQUESTED ACTION: The License and Variance Board hold a public hearing per Section 1400 of the City of Smyrna Zoning Ordinance.