Greenville City Board Meeting, March 22, 2018
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Greenville City Board Meeting, March 22, 2018
The board held a public hearing and voted on a special use permit for a building supply facility with outdoor storage, then considered and approved a written decision and order for a previously heard special use permit (from January 25, 2018) involving a parking deck and student dormitory project.
Public Hearing – Special Use Permit for Building Supply Facility
- The property is located within the Mixed Use and Traditional Neighborhood medium-to-high density category under the Horizons Plan. The proposed use (building supply facility with outdoor storage) is consistent with the future land use plan, which recommends primarily commercial use as a transition to nearby neighborhoods.
- Notice was mailed to adjoining property owners on March 8, 2018, and published in the Daily Reflector on March 12 and March 19, 2018.
- Staff recommended two conditions: 1) site plan approval prior to occupancy; 2) screening for the outdoor storage area. The board may attach additional reasonable screening conditions.
- Applicant Eric Shute (engineer with Rivers and Associates) presented handouts showing the new racking, stating that similar racking existed previously, that existing trees provide screening, and that additional screening is unnecessary. He noted the current occupant also used similar racking and that the building footprint would not increase.
- No members of the public spoke in favor or in opposition.
- Board discussion focused on whether existing screening is sufficient versus the staff recommendation for additional screening. Some members noted the site’s vacant corner could be developed in the future, providing more screening.
- Motion to approve the special use permit without the condition of additional screening (but retaining the site plan approval condition) passed (vote in favor; one opposed).
Quasi-Judicial Decision – Written Findings for Special Use Permit (January 25, 2018 Hearing)
- The board considered a proposed written decision and order (findings of fact and conclusions of law) prepared by attorney Phillips for the special use permit heard on January 25, 2018 (involving a parking deck and a 600‑student dormitory).
- Discussion centered on contested facts related to traffic impacts. Paragraph 34 (or 38) of the proposed findings noted that the parking deck would generate 1,800–1,900 vehicle trips per day, with 45% (810–855 trips) using 13th Street. Morning trips entering the site were 10; evening trips (over 2 hours) were 29 turning from Charles onto 13th Street.
- Commissioner McConaughey expressed concern that pedestrians (students) walking north from dormitory doors on Charles Street would conflict with vehicles exiting the deck at 13th Street, creating a safety issue. He noted that the city engineer and NCDOT had not yet made final recommendations, and suggested waiting for those studies.
- Commissioner Godley cautioned against reopening the hearing or substituting the board’s judgment for professional expertise, emphasizing that the board must decide based on facts presented at the January hearing. Other members noted the condition requiring compliance with the approved traffic impact analysis (once completed) addresses safety.
- Motion to approve the decision and order granting the special use permit as presented, subject to correct service on property owners (via applicant’s attorney, Mr. Burch), passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Building Supply Special Use Permit: Approved without the condition of additional screening, but with the condition that site plan approval be obtained prior to occupancy.
- Written Decision for January 25 Hearing: Approved the decision and order granting the special use permit, with conditions as stated, and with correct service of the order to property owners.
Meeting Transcript
The property is located within the mixed use and the traditional neighborhood medium to high density carrier type as designated by the horizons plan. The proposed use is in compliance with the future land use plan, which recommends primarily commercial use that can serve as a transition and intensity to nearby neighborhoods. This is the view of the property from Howell Street. This is the view of the property from Hooker Road. This is the special use permit map the applicant submitted. Notice was mailed to the adjoining property owners on March 8th. Notice of the public hearing was published in the daily reflector on March 12th and March 19th. Included in your package is the related zoning ordinance regulations for a building supply facility with outside storage. Please note that the board may attach reasonable screening conditions to any property boundary if the board determines that the proposed outside storage area would be would in compatibility or detrimental to adjacent and area land uses. Staff has only one recommended well, two recommended conditions that the site plan approval be received prior to occupation, and that some type of screening shall be utilized with the outside storage area. I'd be happy to answer any questions at this time. Any questions, Ms. Block? All right, I'll ask the applicant to come forward, please state your name and tell us about your application. Good evening. My name is Eric Shute. I'm a professional engineer. I work for Rivers and Associates for a consulting engineering firm that's working with Nolan on this project. The only thing I'd like to present, I have uh some handouts that have some pictures of the new racking that they're proposing. And also uh an area, a Google aerial map. I think we can have a picture of them. So these are representative of the uh the uh racks that they're planning on putting in the the parking area in the yard behind the building. These are similar to the racks that were there previously. I don't have pictures of the original racks because they have since disassembled them. And right now the yard is full of uh shipping containers. Um but if you want to verify my testimony on that, you can go to Google Street View and you can see them from there. That's where I saw them from. There is some more of the racks. Um the other question I'd like or thing I'd like to talk about is the uh the screening. At the moment, I don't know how well you can see this. Uh the previous or current occupants had the similar racks along this row here and this row here. Um, and right now we already have screening between uh these single family homes. We have screening already right there, and we have screening behind them the uh these are single story duplexes back here. Um the proposed racking would increase the number of racks there. Here's single family homes are over here. So we'd still have racking in the same areas that were there before, and then they would increase it over here where we already have screening over here, and then over here behind behind the plumbing company. So I I would just suggest that there's already screening and that more screening is not necessary. And I am available for if you have any questions. Any questions for the applicant? The additional racks that's going in towards the plumbing company. Is there is there screening there now today? Or is it only on the two sides? It's only it's uh just right here. I mean, these are these are well mature, they're medium-sized trees running up here and along there. It's just what you see on the aerial that's already existing. How does the uh how would Nolan be uh you know their their use of this site be much different than what's there now? Is the is the existing occupant also a plumbing supply or so the racking was similar? It is a supplier. I can't you know quasi judicial thing, I can't state for the record what they sell, but it's similar racking. They had pipes and whatnot on them.
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