Public Hearing: YES ☒ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): 1 and 7
Application of Director of Planning & Sustainability for a text amendment to Chapter 5: Small Area Plans of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. This application is intended to incorporate Embry Hills-Presidential Parkway & Surrounding Communities Placemaking Strategy document's general vision, policies, and goals as guidance for future development of the planned area.
Body
PETITION NO: N1-2026-1098 TA-26-1248180
PROPOSED USE: Ch. 5: SAP - Embry Hills-Presidential Parkway
LOCATION: N/A
PARCEL NO. : N/A
INFO. CONTACT: Aprell King, Long Range Planner
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155
PURPOSE:
Application of Director of Planning & Sustainability for a text amendment to Chapter 5: Small Area Plans of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. This application is intended to incorporate Embry Hills-Presidential Parkway & Surrounding Communities Placemaking Strategy document's general vision, policies, and goals as guidance for future development of the planned area.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (August 2026) Full-cycle deferral.
PLANNING COMMISSION: (September 1, 2026) Pending.
PLANNING STAFF: (September 2026) Approval.
STAFF ANALYSIS: The applicant is seeking to adopt the Embry Hills-Presidential Parkway & Surrounding Communities Placemaking Strategy document’s general vision, policies, and goals as guidance for future development of the planned area. Originating as an Arts & Culture small area plan within the Embry Hills & Presidential Parkway area, DeKalb County & Pond conducted targeted community engagement efforts that resulted in the expansion of the boundary area and scope. Based on the desires and needs captured by the community, the Arts & Culture-focused plan developed into a robust Small Area Plan focused on three pillars of focus: Safer Streets, Accessible Open Space, and Catalytic Development (through a placemaking lens). The boundary was expanded to include residential areas of Embry Hills and Northcrest to broaden the regional access footprint and ensure the plan encompassed a foundation representative of its designated Regional Center character area. Between February 2025 and May 2026, DeKalb County and Pond kicked off the master planning process which included the launch of a project website, interactive surveys, six “public” events, and numerous engagements with over 2,250 total community members reached in total. In addition to a ground-level community approach, the PMT worked very closely with Commissioner District 1 and Super Commissioner District 7 to ensure district and constituent needs alignment were represented. The Embry Hills-Presidential Parkway & Surrounding Communities Placemaking Strategy document also highlights a detailed planning and mobility framework - involving strategic stakeholder listening sessions - including linking neighborhoods through housing, trail and multi-use path connectivity, accessible green space, catalytic development, and safer streets through urban design and placemaking. With a major goal being to identify a sense of place and identity for the area, listening sessions were held with local artists in the area and the plan includes strategic public art location recommendations and concept designs to aid in future implementation efforts. It also includes a phased action plan for implementing priority projects - with clearly defined roles and responsibilities - for policy, safe streets, open public space, and catalytic development projects. Adopting the Embry Hills-Presidential Parkway & Surrounding Communities Placemaking Strategy as an amendment to Chapter 5: Small Area Plans in DeKalb County’s 2050 Unified Plan will enable the Planning & Sustainability Department - Long Range Division - to move forward with DeKalb County and the community’s goal of creating a regionally-anchored, more connected, livable, and developable corridor in DeKalb County. Planning & Sustainability Staff recommends “Approval”.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: (September 1, 2026) Pending.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: (August 2026) Full-Cycle Deferral (3-0-1) to allow the consultants to tweak the study and to consider suggestions from the Council which included: 1) Verifying whether certain included parcels are in incorporated DeKalb; 2) Adding traffic circles at Chamblee-Tucker Road and Alton Road; and at Chamblee Tucker Road and Embry Circle, near Buckeye Road.