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Tag: Blythewood Board of Zoning Appeals

  • BZA hearing for 140 homes on Wilson Blvd. set for May 15

    BLYTHEWOOD – A special exception has been requested from the Board of Zoning Appeals for a cluster single-family development to be approved on two parcels at 11017 Wilson Boulevard in Blythewood. The property is located just south of the former Dinkins used car business on Wilson.

    Chandler Roy, representing the Pulte Group in Columbia, said 140 single-family homes are planned for the properties if the special exception is approved.

    One of the parcels (TMS # R15200-03-29) is 89.65 acres, and the other parcel (R15200-03-08) is located at the entrance to the larger parcel, and is 1.38 acres. Together the two parcels that make up 91.03 acres that are zoned D-1.

    The special exception that is being requested is 153.150 – 155, a Conservation Subdivision Design.

    “We are proposing to implement the conservation subdivision design as outlined in the ordinance,” Roy said in his application.

    Roy told The Voice that, under the conservation subdivision design, the 140 homes would be built on half the property, approximately 45 acres (less about 10 acres for roads) and the other half of the property, which is wetlands, would meet the ordinance requirements for green space.

    The proposed development, Roy said, will embrace the existing open space characteristics of the area.

    “Our design will allow for more open space to remain on the overall track by condensing the footprint of the lots and roads,” Roy stated in the application. “The standard requirements for the current zoning will result in less open space and a bigger footprint by lots and roads.”

    In 2017, the Town’s council voted to have no lots smaller than 20,000 square feet in size. The information available puts Pulte’s proposal at about 8,000 square feet per lot, more or less. 

    Roy came before the BZA On Dec. 12, 2022, with the same request, but did not have a conservation easement in place.

    Ray Fatone made a motion to defer the special exception and have the applicant come back with a conservation easement written up and a public workshop to further discuss. The motion passed 4-0.

    According to a public notice published by the Town, the BZA will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m., Monday, May 15, 2023, at Doko Manor, 100 Alvina Hagood Road in Blythewood.

  • Board volunteers needed

    BLYTHEWOOD – The Town of Blythewood has vacancies on three government boards and is seeking volunteers to fill the positions.

    “It’s a great way to serve your community,” Mayor J. Michael Ross said. “We have many individuals who, each year, dedicate their time and expertise to shape the future of boards and commissions and nonprofit organizations in our town through board service. Board members provide the critical intellectual capital and strategic resources necessary to strengthen communities,” Ross said.

    The current vacancies include: Planning Commission – 1 vacancy; Board of Zoning Appeals – 2 vacancies and Board of Architectural Review- 1 vacancy.

    The planning commission makes recommendations to Town Council on zoning and annexation issues; reviews and approves all new subdivisions and is involved in comprehensive planning to improve the health and welfare of the public.

    The board of zoning appeals reviews land use issues, including proposed variations from the Town’s zoning ordinance; special uses that require review to determine compatibility with adjacent properties and appeals of decisions made by the zoning administrator.

    The board of architectural review reviews applications for certificates of appropriateness in the Town Center and Architectural Overlay zoning districts.

    To express interest in serving on a Blythewood board, email contact information along with the board being applied for to: cowanm@townofblythewoodsc.gov.

  • Electric substation eyes TCD zoning

    BLYTHEWOOD – Fairfield Electric Co-op is planning to build an electrical substation on property located at 861 Community Road on two acres across from the Midland Storage Company.

    Because the substation is located in the Town Center District, an electrical substation is not permitted outright. Fairfield Co-op is requesting that the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) make a special exception for the facility. The property borders industrial zoning.  A public hearing has been set for 6 p.m., Monday, February 11, for the board to hear the appeal.

    If the BZA appeal is granted, the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) will then take the matter up at another public hearing at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at Doko Manor, to determine whether to award a Certificate of Appropriateness, which is required before Fairfield Electric Co-op can begin construction.

    If the substation request for a special exception is does not qualify for a BZA exception, utilities sometimes get special consideration because of the need for the service they provide, BAR president Jim McLean told The Voice. However, he said he is not sure if either the BZA or the BAR is the level at which such consideration is granted.

    Town Administrator Brian Cook said the BAR does have the power to grant certain variances from the architectural review parameters for out-of-the-ordinary circumstances.

    “It could open a can of worms for us,” McLean said. “I would be surprised, though, if this type of request has not come up in other towns. So, we’ll see.”

    The texts and documents related to the requests for both the special exception and the variance are available, upon request, for public inspection in the office of the Town Clerk at Blythewood Town Hall, 171 Langford Road, during regular working hours. The documents will also be available at the public hearing.

  • Blythewood BZA denies Taco Bell variance

    BLYTHEWOOD – Plans for a Taco Bell with a drive-thru to come to Blythewood Road were doused Monday evening when the Blythewood Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) denied the company a variance request to enlarge the usable area of the property the fast food restaurant proposed to build on.

    The applicant, BWL Holdings, LLC, represented by Cason Development Group, requested a variance to reduce the necessary buffer transition yard on each side of a lot located at 209 Blythewood Road in the Town Center across from the Waffle House.

    Because the 130 foot x 220 foot property is not wide enough to accommodate the building and a drive thru lane, the variance was requested to reduce the buffer transition yard on the western side of the lot to 3.4 feet and on the eastern side to four feet.

    The Town requires a buffer between adjoining commercially zoned lots in the Town Center District to be a minimum of 10 feet in width, or 7 feet if a wall, fence or berm is used between adjoining properties on both sides and to the rear.

    For a variance to be granted, according to Town ordinance all of the following findings and conclusions in a written order:

    (a)  There are extraordinary and exceptional conditions pertaining to a particular piece of property;

    (b) These conditions do not generally apply to other property in the vicinity;

    (c)  Because of these conditions, the application of the chapter to a particular piece of property would effectively prohibit or unreasonably restrict utilization of the property;

    (d)  The authorization of the variance will not be a substantial detriment to adjacent property or to public good, and the character of the district will not be harmed by the granting of the variance; and

    (e) The effect of the variance would not allow the establishment of a use not otherwise permitted in the zoning district; would not extend physically a nonconforming use of the land; would not change the zoning district boundaries shown on the official zoning map.

    Cason spoke on behalf of granting the variance indicating they had to “skinny up the site plan” due to the dimensions of the site.  One of his suggestions to enhance the narrow buffer zone was a ‘living fence.’  He had some examples to share of hedge plantings used to create borders.

    “This will most likely come back up again,” Darren Rhodes, with Coldwell Banker and the realtor for the sale of the property, said. “It is a unique challenge to fit something on that site,” he told the BZA members.

    Marie Berry said she is a co-owner of the property and represents the other three owners, all of whom she said were longtime residents of Blythewood.

    “It would be an attractive addition to the community and economic development for the community,” Berry said.

    Shelia Finkel, who along with her husband own the dental practice located on the property adjoining the east side of the site, reminded the Board that any decision they make now will come up again.

    “Whatever decision you make will be for all of the town,” she said.

    Stan Harpe, who said he owned the parcel to the west of the property, said the site was too small for the use.

    “I went through the zoning process before trying to get Walgreens,” Harpe said.

    After closing the public hearing, BZA Chair Pat Littlejohn read each of the five findings required to be met for a variance to be granted.

    “There are lots of narrow lots, and shoehorning in this sets a precedent. This would be over-reach,” Board member Ray Fantone said.  He asked Cason if the variance requester had tried to purchase land from the properties on either side.

    “Yes, they have not been able to get land from either side,” Cason said.

    Board member Derreck Pugh commented “that the variance brought up the same issues and they should keep in mind what the Town did before.”

    “What if the live fence dies?  What will we be looking at?” Board member Sharron Pickle asked.

    Board member Marlon Hinds also had some concern about the fence and questioned what if it would change down the line.

    “I don’t feel this is a special case. Not unique,” Hinds said.

    Hinds made a motion to deny the request for a variance to reduce the buffer transition yards between adjoining commercially zoned lots at 209 Blythewood Road for a proposed commercial use. The motion was seconded by Fantone and the Board voted unanimously to deny the request.

    Board member Tom Utroska was not present.

  • Tom Utroska named to BZA

    Utroska

    BLYTHEWOOD – Former Town Councilman Tom Utroska, who resigned his Council seat last fall, is back – this time as a volunteer. Utroska was appointed to the Board of Zoning Appeals last month by Council.

    Retired from the railroad industry, Utroska has served numerous positions in the town government since 2010. He has served on the Planning Commission as a member and as Chair, Board of Zoning Appeals, the Mayor’s Ad-hoc Park Committee and was elected to Council in 2014.

    The Board of Zoning Appeals is a quazi-judicial board that hears zoning appeals from residents and businesses. Decisions of the Board are appealed to circuit court. Members of the Board serve four year terms.