The Mayor and Aldermen approved this zoning request (MPC File No. 17-002217-ZA) following a zoning hearing held at the June 8, 2017 City Council Meeting.

The petitioner, Stephen Jackson, is requesting approval of a rezoning for properties located at 421 Jefferson Street from B-C (Community Business) to RIP-A (Residential – Institutional – Professional, medium density). The properties are currently occupied by a single-story commercial building housing a car detailing business and its associated parking lot.

The subject properties consist of two parcels comprising a total of 0.19 acres located on the west side of Jefferson Street between Berrien and Taylor streets. The site is within the Landmark Savannah Historic District, however the existing building is not a contributing structure within the district. The petitioner is proposing to raze the existing building and construct five townhomes on the parcel. The proposed use is not permitted in the B-C zoning district, which applies over most of the subject property.

A rezoning to the proposed RIP-A district would permit the development of the property as medium-density residential. The RIP-A designation is also consistent with the Chatham County-Savannah Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map designation of Traditional Commercial. The Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of this rezoning request at its Regular Meeting on May 16, 2017.

Approval