The Mayor and Aldermen approved this request after the Zoning Hearing at the April 11, 2019 City Council Regular Meeting.  The action being considered now is the approval of an ordinance for the rezoning of 711 and 719 East Broad Street to the RIP-B Zoning District.

Robert McCorkle, agent (File No. 19-000876-ZA) for Union Mission, Inc. (Owner) and Savannah House, LLC (Petitioner), is requesting to rezone 711 and 719 East Broad Street from R-B-1 (Residential Business) to RIP-B (Residential, Medium Density).  The properties are currently improved with a 1-story commercial structure and are the proposed site of a restaurant with alcohol service.

The proposed RIP-B Zoning District permits a very similar range of uses as the current R-B-1 Zoning District, except for restaurants serving alcohol, the intention of the petitioner, and certain lodging uses. Other potential new uses have little potential for adverse impacts, such as artist galleries and studios.  As a district expressly intended for downtown, the RIP-B Zoning District is more consistent with the neighboring development pattern.  While it would permit much greater residential density as noted above, parking, the height map, and other constraints would limit what can be developed in practice.

The RIP-B Zoning District would better accommodate the existing structure, which is nonconforming in its setbacks and lot coverage.  Its development standards and mix of permitted uses are also closer to the site’s D-R zoning under NewZO.  The proposed zoning is consistent with the Tri-Centennial Comprehensive Plan Future Development Map and the Savannah National Landmark Historic District.

On March 12, 2019, the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the request to rezone the subject property from the R-B-1 Zoning District to the RIP-B Zoning District.

Approval