South Bibb County could be getting 168 new homes on 63 acres after the Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission rezoned Walden Road property Monday afternoon.
P&Z Chair Jeane Easom initially raised concerns about the 100-year floodplain near 3619 Walden Road, which is only a couple miles from the Macon Water Authority’s pending south Bibb drainage project.
“We traced the outer line (of the floodplain) to make sure we keep construction out of the floodplain,” engineer Steve Rowland told commissioners.
“Rowland Engineering is aware of flooding concerns in this area of Macon-Bibb county. As with all new developments, a comprehensive hydrology study will be provided to ensure that no adverse effects are created by the development of this site,” Rowland’s application stated.
Chriswood Drive neighbors Carolyn Barfield and DeDee Nystrom told P&Z that they already have issues with flooding and feared more development would exacerbate the problem if P&Z rezoned the property
Rowland sought rezoning to R-1 to allow minimum lot sizes of 60 ft. by 100 ft., or 6,000 square feet, although the proposed lots are 60 ft. by 120 ft. or 7,200 square feet. Rowland scaled back the neighborhood from 250 units originally proposed, he said.
In appealing for the rezoning, Rowland cited stricter stormwater management standards now in place that require developers to reduce pre-development property drainage levels by 10% and retain on the property the first inch of rain that falls.
Two retention ponds are planned for the new construction site and only a portion of the development’s driveway crosses the floodplain. Rowland plans to design a culvert so that stormwater doesn’t back up there, he said.
Nystrom and Barfield also raised concerns about the smaller lot sizes affecting their property values, but P&Z Executive Director Jeff Ruggieri predicted their values would increase.
Easom, who is a professional real estate appraiser, also reassured them.
“I don’t think there’s anything this subdivision will do to bring about a negative impact with your property,” Easom said. “There are problems in that area that the Macon Water Authority is working diligently on.”
P&Z Commissioner Mindy Attaway also noted that with the planned stormwater retention ponds in the new subdivision, conditions may actually improve as MWA works to secure the necessary easements to begin that long-awaited project.
Other agenda items
Also on Monday’s agenda, P&Z approved conditional use of a yoga studio at 5581, 5585 Thomaston Road near Publix in the Tobesofkee Crossing Shopping Center.
The old Pop’s Top Shop at 1625, 1645 Houston Ave. is being resurrected as an automobile repair shop after P&Z approved the use of the building.
Owner Hector Vega told P&Z he knew the history of the place and wanted to open his business there.
“It was famously known for being a repair shop and we’d like to bring it back,” Vega said.
He plans to fence in the back portion of the lot to store cars needing repair.
P&Z also allowed M. Carswell Auto Sales to park a handful of trucks on its car lot at 4739 Houston Road.
Marquez Carswell also agreed to remove non-operationsl vehicles and spruce up his lot, which is adjacent to the new roundabout at Ga. 247, Broadway and Houston.
“This intersection is being overhauled and it would be nice if this looked a little better,” Easom told him.
Essential Tires owner Pamela Alston also got approval to rent U-haul trailers out of her business at 1922 Riverside Drive. P&Z agreed to up to six trailers parked in front of the building.
Alston said if business keeps growing, she’ll consider leasing the adjacent space for additional parking.
Commissioners also gave final approval to recommendations from the Design Review Board to allow demolition of a dilapidated carriage house at 1177 Adams St., and replace windows at 1337 Calhoun St. using a new Fibrex composite material.
That composite is not yet an approved material in historic district guidelines that are under review, but it had been approved in a 2023 renovation on Orange Street.
P&Z agreed with the Design Review Board to deny the certificate of appropriateness for the owner of the Macon Old English apartments, formerly Wesleyan Gardens apartments, in his attempt to right a wrong at 2056 Vineville Ave.
Marvin Peavy disregarded a stop work order last July when P&Z inspectors found renovations underway without the necessary permits and unauthorized materials.
His roofer installed MasterRib metal panel roofing over existing shingles, which is not allowed in historic districts.
The guidelines state that “new roofing material should match the original size, shape, color and texture,” which means shingles would have been preferred had Peavy sought the necessary approval. Wood, slate, tile, asphalt, fiberglass and metal shingles are permitted as is standing seam metal roofing, which is more expensive.
After losing a court battle over the issue last fall, Peavy came back to P&Z to suggest replacing the inappropriate metal material with an approved metal roofing, but only on half of one building that is fully visible from the street.
Both the Design Review Board and P&Z turned down the offer and told him to reapply to come into compliance.
Peavy said he had to secure the roofs of the apartments to protect his investment as Hurricane Beryl was in the Gulf of Mexico at the time, although none of the forecast tracks anticipated it coming through Middle Georgia.
P&Z also approved a manufactured home on a 37-acre parcel at 5430 Dixon Road.
An application for a telecommunications tower at 4460 Mumford Road was deferred until the hearing on Jan. 27.
— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or 478-301-2976.
