Public Hearing: YES ☒ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT:
Title
COMMISSION DISTRICT(S): All Districts
Application of the Director of Planning & Sustainability for a text amendment relating to film studio requirements and for other purposes. This text amendment is County-wide.
Body
PETITION NO: D1-2023-1466 TA-24-1246761
PROPOSED USE: Film studio requirements, and for other purposes.
LOCATION: County-wide.
PARCEL NO. : N/A
INFO. CONTACT: Yvonne Trammell, Special Projects Coordinator
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155
PURPOSE:
Application of the Director of Planning & Sustainability for a text amendment relating to film studio requirements and for other purposes. This text amendment is County-wide.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (December 2024) CC-1: No recommendation; CC-2: Withdrawal; CC-3: Withdrawal; CC-4: Withdrawal; CC-5: Withdrawal. (June 2024) CC-1: Deferral; CC-2: No Vote Taken; CC-3: Full cycle deferral; CC-4: Approval; CC-5: Full cycle deferral. (Dec. 2023) CC-1: Approval; CC-2: Deferral; CC-3: Approval; CC-4: Approval; CC-5: Approval.
PLANNING COMMISSION: (Jan. 7, 2025) Withdrawal without prejudice. (July 11, 2024) Three-cycle deferral. (Jan. 9, 2024) Denial.
PLANNING STAFF: Withdrawal without prejudice.
STAFF ANALYSIS: Since the film studio text amendment was originally drafted several months ago there have been ongoing technological, economic, and workforce changes in the film studio industry that include broader shifts in the media landscape including music and the gaming sector. Such changes are currently addressed in the amendment and are already permitted under existing zoning “uses” such as Office and/or Radio Broadcasting Studios which broadly encompass music and podcasting studios. However, the permitting and further definition of large-scale studios and related accessory uses will be comprehensively addressed in the Zoning Rewrite set to begin in early 2025. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the Planning & Sustainability Department that the application be “Withdrawn without prejudice”.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: (January 7, 2025) Withdrawal without Prejudice (8-0-0). Jon West moved, Jana Johnson seconded for withdrawal without prejudice, per Staff recommendation. Commissioner Murphy was not present for this vote. (July 11, 2024) Three-Cycle Deferral 6-0-0. Jan Costello moved, Edward Patton seconded for a 3-cycle deferral to the January 2025 zoning agenda, per staff recommendation. (Jan. 9, 2024) Denial 7-2-0. Jon West moved, Jana Johnson seconded for Denial. Vivian Moore and Edward Patton opposed.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: (Dec. 2024) CC-1: No CC-1 board members present; no recommendation; CC-2: Withdrawal 8-0-0; CC-3: Withdrawal 8-0-0; CC-4: Withdrawal 10-0-0; CC-5: Withdrawal 8-0-0. (June 2024) CC-1: Deferral (3-0-0) to obtain more information; CC-2: No vote taken; CC-3: Full cycle deferral (11-0-0) so that they can review any changes made to the text amendment at the Planning Commission and the Board of Commissioners hearings; CC-4: Approval 9-0-0; CC-5: Full cycle deferral 5-0-2. (Dec. 2023) CC-1: Approval 6-0-0; CC-2: Deferral 9-1-0. CC-2 had concerns about allowing in C-1, C-2 and O-I due to appearance; and, concerns regarding noise in mixed-use districts; CC-3: Approval 5-2-0. CC-3 suggested that film studios also be allowed in the MU-1, MU-2, and MU-3 zoning districts; and that the terms "board of commissioners" and "chief executive officer " on page 2, part 5, should be capitalized. The Council also supported requiring film studios to be in a fully enclosed, soundproofed building.; CC-4: Approval 11-0-0; CC-5: Approval 8-0-0.