Public Hearing: YES ☐ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT:
Title
COMMISSION DISTRICT(S): Commission District 03 Super District 07
Application of Erica Day for a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) to allow a Personal Care Home (PCH) for up to six (6) adults in the R-75 (Residential Medium Lot-75) zoning district, at 3915 Emerald North Drive.
Body
PETITION NO: N6-2025-1625 SLUP-26-1247829
PROPOSED USE: Enter Proposed Use.
LOCATION: 3915 Emerald North Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30035
PARCEL NO.: 15 157 06 019
INFO. CONTACT: Lucas Carter, Planner
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155
PURPOSE:
Application of Erica Day for a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) to allow a Personal Care Home (PCH) for up to six (6) adults in the R-75 (Residential Medium Lot-75) zoning district.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (Dec. 2025) Denial.
PLANNING COMMISSION: (Jan. 6, 2026) Pending.
PLANNING STAFF: Approval with Conditions.
STAFF ANALYSIS: The applicant requests a Special Land Use Permit to allow a personal care home for up to six residents within an existing single-family dwelling in the R-100 district. No exterior changes are proposed, and the structure would retain its residential appearance within an HOA-governed subdivision on Emerald North Drive. The applicant states the home will comply with all Georgia Department of Community Health regulations, including staffing and fire-safety requirements, and notes prior experience operating a similar facility in Cobb County. The site provides adequate building area, setbacks, open space, and four to six off-street parking spaces, and no buffers or structural alterations are required. Public water, sewer, and emergency access are in place, and the Environmental Health department notes no septic-related limitations. Emerald North Drive is designated as a local road and appears to have adequate capacity for the minimal traffic anticipated by low staffing levels and non-driving residents. Additionally, the proposed visiting hours of 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM would limit late-evening traffic activity. Staff finds that basic site and infrastructure conditions can support the proposed use. The applicant asserts the home will operate quietly and resemble typical single-family activity; however, substantial opposition arose during the community meeting, with residents expressing concerns about commercialization of a single-family subdivision, cumulative investor-owned activity, and the appropriateness of the use within an HOA community. These concerns contrast sharply with the applicant’s expectations for neighborhood compatibility. Despite this opposition, staff notes that the County’s Comprehensive Plan supports small-scale residential care options that allow aging in place and expand local housing diversity. (DeKalb United Plan, Page 14) The supplemental regulations for personal care homes require at least 1,000 feet of separation between facilities. Staff identified four similar institutions in the vicinity, and all of these exceed the minimum separation requirements- 4051 Snapfinger Drive (2,200 ft), 3771 Elkridge Drive (1,500 ft), 3857 Wedgefield Circle (1,500 ft), and 2269 Leslie Brook Drive (1,500 ft). Staff finds no conflict with the ordinance relative to proximity to other personal care homes. Additionally, it appears that the proposed establishment complies with all supplemental regulations (Section 27-4.2.41). In summary, the proposed use appears to align with zoning and Comprehensive Plan policy and can operate within the site’s physical and infrastructural constraints as the supplied floor plan can support up to six (6) individuals and no interference with septic or sewer issues. Staff therefore recommends “Approval with the attached conditions”.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: (January 6, 2026) Pending.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: (December 2025) Denial 8-0-1.