Bwick News: Planning Commission debates beach lighting, array of other subjects
neillh...@earthlink.net
Planning commissioners debate beach lighting ordinance
- 6 hrs ago
Trails from a misoriented crawl by a nest of sea turtle hatchlings is shown in the dunes on St. Simons Island in 2024.
Proposed beach lighting ordinances were hotly debated during Tuesday’s joint work session of the Islands and Mainland planning commissions.
The intent of the meeting was to discuss proposed Glynn County zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations. Beachfront lighting was one of the topics of discussion.
The proposal is to establish nanometer maximums for lights visible from the beach, or requiring Georgia Department of Natural Resources approved lighting. The rule would only apply to new construction, as well as modifications or alterations to existing structures.
Concerns were raised about the cost of lighting that will not disturb nesting sea turtles or their hatchlings. One commission member said more restrictive rules “make no sense,” and it would be unfair to builders of new homes to have the lighting requirement.
There were also concerns about neighbors calling to complain about noncompliance of the rules and questions about who would enforce them. Violators would be cited by code enforcement officers, not police.
Islands Planning Commissioner Matthew McHale said he has built houses on the beaches and said residents like the proposed rules.
“All my homeowners support turtle lights,” he said
The issue was discussed for nearly an hour before commission members, without reaching an agreement, decided to move on to other proposed ordinance changes.
County Manager Bill Fallon said it’s been a long process taking “hundreds and hundreds of hours” to get the changes to the point where the ordinance and subdivision changes can be discussed among the planning commissioners.
“It’s more clear, more concise,” he said.
County Commission Chairman Wayne Neal said the goal is to create a document that will work for everyone in Glynn County.
He said the proposed changes are a “good launching pad” to discuss the ordinances. He reminded everyone that the new ordinances are a work in progress that will need modifying in coming months.
“You will find things that weren’t included or need tweaking,” he said. “We will amend and fix this as we go. We’ve corrected a lot of the issues.”
Other proposals discussed included:
• A St. Simons tree canopy preservation ordinance. It reduces the number of required trees from 12 per acre to eight trees per acre. It allows for better planting and long-term growth of new trees.
Site coverage maximums are 60% for residential and 75% for commercial properties. They will allow built-in open soil areas for residential and commercial lots.
• Accessory dwelling units would be detached only, with a maximum 1,000 square feet and two-bedroom limit. The units cannot be manufactured homes and must meet international residential code.
The planning commissions discussed standards for attached or detached units, whether they can be separately metered and whether the number of unrelated people living on a property can increase when an accessory dwelling unit is added to a lot.
• Site coverage requirements determine the percentage of a development area covered by the footprint of buildings and structures, parking, driveways, walkways, pool, patios, decks, mechanical equipment, and other improvements whether permeable or impermeable to water.
The proposed site coverage is up to 60% for residential lots. Commercial lots on the mainland would have 85% coverage and islands would be required to have 75%.
• Pets, livestock and horses ordinances for lots of different sizes will have different limitations. On lots under one acre, a maximum of six pets over six months old would be allowed. Hens (no roosters) are allowed and must be counted in the total.
On lots one acre or larger, a maximum of 10 pets would be allowed. Roosters are only allowed in lots two acres or larger in areas zoned forest agricultural.
Livestock and horses are allowed on lots two acres or larger, where the animals are permitted. Only one horse per acre is allowed unless the property is zoned forest agricultural.
• Different housing types allowed include modular/industrialized, currently a conditional use that will be allowed in the draft code. Manufactured and mobile homes are allowed in specific zoning districts only. The planning commissions discussed possible regulation of building materials and minimum dwelling unit size.
• Signs are to be “content neutral” with yard signs 24 square feet maximum on both the mainland and islands. Billboard sizes on the islands will continue to be 250 square feet. Mainland billboard sizes will be a maximum 500 square feet.
• Consideration of a traffic study threshold would automatically require a study if certain criteria, to be established, are met.
Comments are being accepted regarding the proposed zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations changes by going to the county website glynncounty.org.
Another draft of the ordinances will be released before a March 18 public hearing at the public library in downtown Brunswick.
Another meeting to continue discussions about the zoning ordinances, and start discussions on the proposed subdivision regulations will be held at 6 p.m. on March 2 in the second-floor meeting room at the Harold Pate Building, 1725 Reynolds St.