Fayetteville

officials are looking at a way to allow a rezoning applicant to renovate

a historic downtown building while staying consistent with the city's

zoning regulations.

The Travis

House, built around 1890 and located on Ga. Highway 85 just south of City

Cafe, is in disrepair and has been vacant for some time while its owners

attempted to sell it. The property is now under contract, and Barnard

and Associates Remodeling has applied for a rezoning from R-P to C-3 to

operate its business in the building.

But C-3, one

of the more intensive commercial zoning categories in Fayetteville, is

not compatible with the Future Land Use Map designation for that area,

which is within the Main Street District. The property is currently designated

for downtown mixed use.

City staff

cannot recommend a rezoning that goes against the land use map, Planning

Director Jahnee Prince said last week. But Barnard and Associates had

to apply for C-3 zoning, the least intensive zoning in the city for building

contractors, even though the company does not contend with the continuous

outdoor storage and numerous heavy vehicle trips often associated with

building contractors. In fact, the owner of the business has been operating

out of his own home for some time with none of his neighbors showing any

detrimental effects, Prince said.

If the building

contractor operates in a way that does not utilize outdoor storage, has

no heavy equipment parked on site or heavy trucks visiting on a regular

basis, the effects on the property would be similar to a site zoned C-1

or C-2, Prince said.

A key consideration

for the city is the applicant's desire to renovate the Travis House. Because

this is a project that looks to be one of considerable expense, given

the condition of the house, the city "is very fortunate to find a

business owner willing to take on the project," Prince wrote in a

memo to the Planning and Zoning Commission, which is considering the matter

at Tuesday night's regular monthly meeting.

Commissioners

can rule on the rezoning request now or direct city staff to further investigate

the possibilities of a less intensive zoning category for certain building

contractors.

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