During review of a request to rezone 2818 Bee Road for Jay Maupin on behalf of Bee Hive Studios (Petitioner) under (File No. 19-006556-ZA), MPC staff determined that the existing Future Land Use Category of Commercial Suburban is incompatible with the proposed rezoning request for the Traditional Commercial (TC-1) Zoning District.

The Future Land Use Category of Commercial-Suburban is currently defined as: Business areas supporting shopping centers and corridor commercial uses at a scale and intensity capable of serving regional markets.

The proposed Future Land Use Category of Traditional Commercial is defined as:  Areas in close proximity to downtown or in outlying historically settled areas having development patterns characteristic of the Planned Town, Streetcar, and Early Automobile eras. This category includes residential uses that are compatible with the character of adjacent neighborhoods.

This description of the Traditional Commercial category complements the proposed TC-1 zoning district which ensures the vibrancy of historic mixed use neighborhoods with traditional development patterns characteristic of Savannah during the streetcar and early automobile eras. The district provides for commercial areas that are developed at a mass and scale harmonious with nearby residential neighborhoods.

The Zoning Hearing and First Reading were held for this rezoning on February 27, 2020. A follow-up meeting with residents of the Parkside Neighborhood was held on March 13, 2020.

Approval