WR sets guidelines for downtown, denies Amanda Place annexation

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — With the city consistently working to purchase properties in and around Commercial Circle, the city is in the process of taking the next step to creating a downtown area for it’s citizens: Setting development guidelines for incoming developers. Council also made a lasting decision on an incoming annexation request at 100 S. Amanda Place. Read on.

During the city’s pre-council meeting, Community and Economic Development Director Kate Hogan stood to describe the type of incoming guidelines her department has created for future downtown development. She described a ruleset that includes material requirements, allowed colors and level minimums.

“This area is definitely a more finite boundary, affecting all of our commercial property, and not affecting residential property in that area,” Hogan explained. “[This document] addresses items like land use and making sure we have some good opportunities for some high-density commercial and retail in-fill as we’re working towards creation of stronger sense of place through a commercial downtown area.”

The hope, as explained by Mayor Patrick in the past, is that commercial properties would take up lower levels of multi-story buildings, while office space and residential space took higher floors. Colors on buildings in the area would be required to be naturally occurring ones, and materials used in construction would be the same. The city is seeking a high window-to-storefront ratio, and hopes create a downtown area for citizens to live, work and play in.

Council members thanked Hogan for her and her department’s work following her description.

According to an interview with the Mayor following the meeting, she is pleased with the guidelines.

“We’re planning for our growth strategically, and making sure we preserve the look that we want in our downtown district.”

The city will vote on the guidelines in the coming future.

Also in the pre-council meeting, Councilman Clifford Holmes made a statement about an annexation request at 100 S. Amanda Place: The item was “dead on arrival.”

Both in the pre-council and regular council meeting, Holmes explained that the developer did not provide information requested by the city.

During their May 1 meeting, Holmes and other councilmen requested that the developer provide a plan for an access road to the development, and a buffer separating the commercial property from the nearby residential development. Holmes asked that plans be given to the city in writing. At Monday’s meeting, he told council that the plans were never received.

When the item came around during the regular meeting, Holmes made the motion the item be denied. The motion was approved unanimously.

Making progress on the city’s homeless shelter project, council approved a motion that will allow the city to accept donations in regards to the future Warner Robins Homeless Shelter at 79 Green Street.

Mayor Patrick also presented a motion to add an honorary physician to the city’s roster. This unpaid position will provide a voice to internal boards that need medical specialties.

“The city of Warner Robins is self-insured, so we have a committee of individuals who will hear cases where one of our employees have submitted for a certain prescription based on their doctor’s orders, and the insurance company comes back and says, ‘no we’re not going to cover this, but we will cover this particular prescription,’” Patrick explained. “Then, come to find out, the doctor states, ‘well, the prescription that they recommended you in lieu of the one I recommended you get is not for your situation.’

“Our insurance committee, they have to hear it and determine if we’re going to allow this person to have the prescription recommended by their doctor covered, or if we’re going to require to use the recommended prescription by the pharmacist.”

The honorary physician will provide a needed medical voice to the committee.

The position was approved unanimously. Dr. Al-Shroof Mohammad will fulfill the position for the city.

Council also approved an update to their official city map and voting districts. A map can be found attached to this story.

Also of note, council approved an item that will allow the regular council meeting to begin directly after the pre-council meeting, rather than their being a break in between.

Finally, returning from a closed session, Mayor and Council added a purchase and sale agreement, another future addition to the city’s future downtown area.

Approved unanimously by council, this agreement allows Mayor Patrick to seek a land purchase at 107 South Davis Drive.

The agenda and supporting documents for this meeting can be found at the city’s website, or by going to wrga.gov/agendacenter. Mayor and council’s meeting are typically scheduled on the first and third Monday of each month, exclusive of federally practiced holidays.

The next meeting will be held on Monday, June 5. Pre-council will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Carolyn Robbins Room at City Hall. The regular council meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers of the same building.

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