Planning Commission OKs 2 Zoning

The James Island Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of two rezoning requests for developers JL Woode to build a bank and nearby shopping center at Maybank Highway and Woodland Shores Road.

The rezoning requests will be sent to Town Council for approval. The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 5 at 1739 Signal Point Road.

The planning commission's approval Jan. 24 came after months of negotiations, public meetings and hearings about the property. Some parcels near the Five Points intersection were to be rezoned from residential to planned unit development. One parcel already was zoned community commercial.

Jenny Peterson The Journal

The James Island Planning Commission recommended approval of a rezoning request for this corner to be turned into a shopping center. Town Council could consider the request at a Feb. 5 meeting. Developers said South Gevret Drive may be used as an access point to the center if the rezoning is granted.

Residents in the Riverland Terrace neighborhood voiced concerns about the rezonings. Initial concerns were that the plan for the property was vague, and renderings presented at a neighborhood association meeting did not show what type of businesses would be allowed. Some residents weren't comfortable with the town changing the zoning at all. Town Council turned down the rezoning request in November.

A month later, the developers came back with a specific plan for the property, with a South Carolina Bank and Trust branch under contract for one .79-acre parcel at the corner, and a high-end, low-impact use shopping area for another 1.495 acres across the street.

The developers put in stipulations that the only allowed use on the .79-acre property would be a financial institution, professional office or medical office.

The 1.495 acres had the same requirements except it also allowed for some low-impact retail uses such as a hair salon, sandwich shop or bookstore. No fast-food restaurant, bar or grocery store would be allowed.

Jonathan Yates, a lawyer representing the developers, told council that both developments would benefit the neighborhood and provide a buffer to Maybank Highway, where nearly 26,000 cars travel each day.

"Your job is not to do a straw poll but to decide what's best for the town," Yates said.

One Woodland Shores resident, Dan Schmidt, told the commission that if the rezoning was approved, he would try and rezone his residential property to commercial and move out of the neighborhood. A handful more publicly opposed the rezoning at the commission's Jan. 24 meeting.

The rezoning for the .79 of an acre was unanimous. The 1.495-acre development passed 4-1, with commissioner Garrett Milliken opposed. Commission Chairwoman Lyndy Palmer praised the developers for listening to residents regarding their plan for the property.

"Not everyone is going to agree. We have listened to everyone, and I do believe they have made changes (to plans). It could be a lot worse," she said.

In other business, the commission unanimously approved a rezoning request for a retail shopping center on the property at Folly Road and Wilton Street, directly across from the Wal-Mart stoplight. That approval also will be sent to Town Council for approval.

The property's owner, Brian Aiken, asked for an acre of land zoned office residential to be changed to a planned unit development for specific retail, office and financial uses.

He said he envisions a shopping center that would have four or five businesses in it such as a cell-phone store, dental office and deli. No businesses serving alcohol will be allowed, he said.

"It's across the street from Wal-Mart. It's the best use in our opinion," Aiken said.

The building would be 1,879 square feet total. A residential duplex currently at Wilton Street and Folly Road would be torn down and parking would be in the back of the shopping center away from the street, Aiken said.

There would be two entrances to the development, one on Wilton Street and one on Folly Road. The S.C. Department of Transportation needs to determine the curb cuts for the development.

Aiken said he has not heard any opposition to the development. Town Administrator Roy DeHaven said he has gotten several phone calls about the project, but no one was opposed to it.

Town Clerk Francis Simmons did not know if the rezoning requests will be ready for consideration in time for the Feb. 5 council meeting.

Call Town Hall at 762-7744 or stop by 1238-B Camp Road for a copy of the meeting's agenda.

Planning Commission OKs 2 Zoning Requests