Public Hearing: YES ☒ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): 4 and 6
Application of Jared Samples to rezone property from C-1 (Local Commercial) zoning district to MR-2 (Medium Density Residential-2) zoning district to allow for residential development, at 5561-5567 Memorial Drive.
Body
PETITION NO: N3-2026-1100 Z-26-1248190
PROPOSED USE: Residential development.
LOCATION: 5561-5567 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083
PARCEL NO. : 18 070 03 008
INFO. CONTACT: Andrea Folgherait, Sr. Planner
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155
PURPOSE:
Application of Jared Samples to rezone property from C-1 (Local Commercial) zoning district to MR-2 (Medium Density Residential-2) zoning district to allow for residential development.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (August 2026) Approval.
PLANNING COMMISSION: (September 1, 2026) Pending.
PLANNING STAFF: (September 2026) Full-Cycle Deferral.
STAFF ANALYSIS: The request to rezone the property from C-1 (Local commercial) to an MR-2 (Medium Density Residential-2) zoning district for a residential development requires a land use amendment (LP-26-1248188). The amendment proposes NC (Neighborhood Center) from CRC (commercial Redevelopment Corridor) as recommended by the Memorial Drive Small Area Plan (SAP). The subject site contains a former shopping center, Village Square, from Staff research Village Square appears largely vacant since 2015. Prior to that, Village Square contained a variety of businesses including a learning center, small retail beauty shop, furniture store, and an event space. Staff contacted the Applicant on 8/4/26 with site orientation considerations to better achieve the overall NC vision. While the feedback is not intended to represent a required layout, but rather to demonstrate potential design opportunities that may be worth considering as the project evolves. The applicant revised and submitted an updated site plan on 8/11/26. However, the concept increases the proposed residential density, still contains a large amount of surface parking, and remains entirely residential. The subject property represents a significant redevelopment opportunity within the Memorial Drive Corridor Small Area Plan (SAP). The SAP specifically identifies the subject site within the “Hambrick Village Focus Area” for redevelopment. While the following findings support redevelopment of the property, they also support Staff’s recommendation of a Full-Cycle Deferral of the proposed land use amendment and rezoning applications (Z-26- 1248190 & LP-26-1248188) to allow further refinement of the concept before establishing a new long-term land use and zoning framework. The revised site plan (8/11/26) does not demonstrate compliance with Section 5.4.5 (Transitional Buffers) or Section 2.14.6 (Building Heights) of the MR-2 zoning district. Additionally, several applicable MR-2 development requirements, including open space and streetscape requirements, are not sufficiently identified or demonstrated on the conceptual site plan. Given the approximately 13-acre size of the property, its prominent location along Memorial Drive, and its specific identification as a redevelopment opportunity in the Memorial Drive Corridor SAP, Staff finds that additional consideration of the proposed site organization, mix of uses, and overall Neighborhood Center (NC) character is warranted. Therefore, based on review of the applicable criteria under Section 27-7.3.5 of the DeKalb County Zoning Ordinance, it is the recommendation of the Planning & Sustainability Department that Application Z-26- 1248190 be ”Deferred, Full-Cycle to the November 19th BOC Zoning agenda”, to allow the applicant additional time to revise the proposal and address the outstanding zoning, site orientation, and SAP considerations identified in this report.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: (September 1, 2026) Pending.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: (August 2026) Approval 7-1-0.