On Monday July 26, 2021 the City of Stonecrest unanimously passed an ordinance, TMOD_21_003. This ordinances places additional restrictions on gas stations and attached convenience stores within the city. Earlier this year, Stonecrest enacted a moratorium on gas stations. This moratorium has been in place since February 2021 giving the City time to propose changes to the zoning code.
Amendments to the code include the removal of Special Land Use permits for alcohol, changes to new gas station location criteria, and space requirements for attached convenience store. These changes are outlined below.
Sec. 4.2.8 – Alcohol outlets, retail, package liquor store.
B. Alcohol outlets shall not be located:
- Within 300 600 feet of any school building, school grounds, educational facility, college campus, or sexually oriented business; or
F. Alcohol outlets accessory to convenience stores with gas pumps do not require a special land use permit if the convenience store and gas pumps meet the criteria of section 4.2.28D.
Sec. 4.2.28. – Fuel pumps, accessory.
B. Gas station and convenience store design shall comply with the design standards and transitional buffer requirements set forth in article 5 of this chapter.
C. The following standards apply to all gas pumps:
- The primary building (i.e., convenience store or automobile service station) shall be exempt from primary building setbacks if located in activity centers. All associated light fixtures shall be directed away from surrounding residential neighborhoods.
D. Location criteria. Fuel pumps associated with convenience stores, gas stations, and service stations require a special land use permit in activity centers. In all other character areas a special land use permit is required unless that facility can must meet at least three of the following criteria:
- Facility is located within 400 100 feet of an intersection of a major arterial street and a major or minor arterial street, or located within 1,000 500 intersection with an arterial street as designated on the Functional Classification Map in the City Comprehensive Plan.
- Facility is accessible via direct and or secondary access to two roads, either through a secondary street or by interparcel or other shared access.
- Facility is a new building of includes at least 5,000 square feet of retail space or facility is part of a major redevelopment, as defined in section 27-8.1.16.
- No more than two facilities may be located at any given intersection. Facility includes at least two bathrooms capable of serving at least three persons at a time, open to the
public, and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. - Except for facilities located at the same roadway intersection, facilities cannot be located closer than 1,500 feet apart.
F. Facility includes must include at least two bathrooms, each capable of serving at least three persons at a time, open to the public, and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The adopted ordinance will go into effect following approval from Mayor Pro Tem and replaces the gas station moratorium which is set to expire August 7, 2021. The Council supports the removal of the moratorium and believes these changes support responsible zoning regulations guiding the City of Stonecrest’s growth.