An addition to an existing home and new roof was approved and a new Papa John’s restaurant was denied in appeals to the Greenville Spartanburg Airport Environs Planning Commission on Wednesday.
Neal Johnson’s variance request to build additional space and new roof onto his residence, a mobile home at 410 Chapel Road in Greer, was overturned by commissioners 2-1 with one commissioner abstaining.
Matt Grandy was appealing a compliance coordinator’s ruling denying a Papa John’s takeout-delivery restaurant at 8000 Pelham Road in Greenville. The location is housed near The Eagle Zone golf complex.
Scott Carr, an airport environs administrator, originally ruled that Johnson’s sought-after repairs were not within the spirit of the zoning ordinance and denied the request.
Johnson lives in a 720-square-foot mobile home purchased in 1972. He proposed to construct three exterior walls and a roof over the structure. Johnson submitted that the repairs fell under the commission’s zoning ordinance, since grandfathered in 1996 . It allowed a non-conforming structure containing a non-conforming use which has been damaged by fire or other causes, to be repaired or rebuilt and used as before, provided no local zoning ordinance or land use requirement was violated.
The new structure must meet the building standards, permits and approvals required.
The new addition of three bedrooms and additional bath will measure 1,344-square-feet. “This house has been in the family for 40 years and has become a hazard to live in,” because of a leaking roof when it rains, Johnson wrote in his variance request.
The age and deterioration of the mobile home made its removal unsafe, according to Johnson’s conversation with movers, with the likelihood it would be destroyed upon transit.
Carr’s interpretation was constructing “a fixed permanent structure at least twice the size, the proposal would be creating a new single family home. Therefore, the grandfather clause under the Airport Environs Area – Zoning Ordinance does not apply.”
Johnson’s appeal emphasized, “The roof cannot be repaired. (The trailer) must be covered with a new roof. The leaks are causing more damage every time it rains. … My family is living in a hazardous home. We now have (three) grandchildren living in one bedroom. They need separate rooms for boys and girls.”
Carr originally ruled the proposed Papa John’s restaurant, 2,200-2,800 square feet, is incompatible with the property based on its location inside the APZ (Accident Prone Zone) located directly along the extended centerline of the runway. The board voted 3-0 with one member abstaining to uphold Carr’s ruling.
"Of the 54 cases we had last year, only four made it to a variance hearing,” Carr said.
The board initially denied Grandy’s request 3-0 with one member abstaining in April.
Wednesday’s appeal was denied along with the same result reached three months ago – the restaurant is not a compatible land use with the Airport Environs Area – Accident Potential Zone.