Public Hearing: YES ☒ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT:
Title
COMMISSION DISTRICT(S): Commission District 01 Super District 07
Application of LMPSF Acquisitions, LLC c/o Troutman Pepper Locke, LLP to rezone property from C-2 (General Commercial) zoning district to HR-1 (High Density Residential - 1) zoning district to allow for single-family, attached and multi-family developments, at 3265 Northeast Expressway.
Body
PETITION NO: N5-2025-0628 Z-25-1247529
PROPOSED USE: Single-family attached and, multi-family developments.
LOCATION: 3265 Northeast Expressway, Chamblee, Georgia 30341
PARCEL NO. : 18 267 01 003
INFO. CONTACT: Andrea Folgherait, Sr. Planner
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155
PURPOSE:
Application of LMPSF Acquisitions, LLC c/o Troutman Pepper Locke, LLP to rezone property from C-2 (General Commercial) zoning district to HR-1 (High Density Residential - 1) zoning district to allow for single-family, attached and multi-family developments.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (June 2025) Approval.
PLANNING COMMISSION: (July 8, 2025) Pending.
PLANNING STAFF: Approval with Conditions.
STAFF ANALYSIS: The applicant, LMPSF Acquisitions, LLC c/o Troutman Pepper Locke, LLP is seeking to rezone the subject site from C-2 (General Commercial) zoning district to HR-1 (High Density Residential-1) zoning district. The rezoning will allow a multi-family residential development including two (2) three (3) story apartment buildings (60 units each) and “paired home” units (192 units) which are in the style of single- family attached homes when facing either the front or rear of the unit. A maximum of three hundred and fourteen (314) dwelling units are proposed. The proposed rezone to HR-1, with a mixture of housing options, aligns with the evolving land use pattern in the surrounding area and presents an opportunity to support a more walkable corridor. Just north of the subject site are 3355, 3375, and 3395 Northeast Expressway (Z-23-1246461), which were rezoned in 2023 to HR- 3 (High Density Residential-3) for the redevelopment of a vacant office park into a multifamily development. The applicant has proposed a density of approximately 8.5 units per acre, which is significantly lower than both the HR-1 maximum (40 units per acre) and the Regional Center (RC) Character Area, which has no maximum density. The RC future land use designation supports high-density, high-intensity development by encouraging mixed-use projects with 75 or more dwelling units per acre (DeKalb 2050 Unified Plan, pg. 31). These areas are defined by their accessibility to interstates, major roadways, transit, and trails, and typically feature campus-style or unified development patterns, higher floor-area ratios, and the integration of non- residential components. While the subject site aligns with several of the RC Character Area’s desired physical characteristics-including its proximity to Mercer University, I-85, the ongoing construction of the Northfork Peachtree Creek Trail, and nearby redevelopment-the proposed development does not include any non-residential uses, which may limit its ability to fully support the mixed-use vision outlined for the RC Character Area. Furthermore, the subject site is also located within the Presidential Parkway Regional Center, which includes supplemental land use and zoning recommendations. More specifically, it falls within Area D - Edge 1 (Bordering Residential). This sub-area borders an existing single-family neighborhood and a smaller-scale multifamily development and has a preferred maximum of twenty-four (24) dwelling units per acre and a four-story (4) building height limit. The proposal helps provide an appropriate transition between the adjacent residential areas and the inner and outer cores of the RC (see pg. 55 of the packet for the Presidential Parkway map). Site Plan Review (Everstead at Embry Hills, dated 4/25/25): The site plan appears to comply with most of Section 27-2.11.2 - Dimensional Requirements for HR-1. However, because of the following deficiencies, variances may need to be sought. • Streetscaping - Applicant did not supply a landscape strip in addition to the ten-foot (10) multiuse path along NE Expressway per Section 27-5.4.3 - Streetscape Elements and Dimensions (Table 5.1) and/or what is required by GDOT. • Interior strips: Interior to non-residential, mixed-use and multi-family developments, a three-foot (3) wide planted landscape strips shall be required along all interior drives and pedestrian paths per Section 5.4.4 - Site and Parking Area Landscaping B. As well as D. Parking Area Landscaping tree and island quantity (4 and 5). • Property perimeter landscape strip: Along non-residential, mixed-use and multi-family development perimeter lot lines, a perimeter landscape strip shall be required per Section 5.4.4 C1. A five-foot-wide continuous perimeter landscape strip is required along all property lines that are not subject to streetscape requirements. This applies to individual tenant sites interior to a master planned project, even in instances where individual tenant sites do not have separately platted lot lines. • Unit Size: The unit size is not listed for the apartment buildings. Per Section, each unit should be a minimum of six hundred and fifty (650) square feet. • Entrance Gates: Multifamily requires gates be located at least fifty (50) feet from the property line to ensure safe queuing, ingress to and egress from the property per Section 5.4.7 Walls, Fences, and Retaining Walls 8. • Spacing between buildings: For single-family attached buildings and multi-family buildings, building shall be separated a distance as required by the International Codes Council (IC per Section 5.2.1 Minimum Required Yards and Buildings Setbacks B1. • Traffic Impact Study: Multi-family development with over three hundred (300) new units at build-out require a TIS per Section 5.3.4- Traffic Impact Study A. Additional Staff Recommendations: • Consideration of enhanced open space surrounding the detention pond located in the southeast corner of the site such as, benches and/or pedestrian walkways, and to comply with Section 5.4.6 Screening (E) which requires screening around detention facilities. • Coordination with MARTA to place an amenity pad and accommodate direct pedestrian access to Northeast Expressway frontage so that residents can access transit service. See comments enclosed. • Enhancement of space in and around the “Recreation Area” such as, benches and/or pedestrian walkways. • Bike rack(s) parking throughout the development. As this corridor continues to experience redevelopment and a SAP (Small Area Plan) is underway, careful consideration should be given to the cumulative impact of residential-only projects in an area designated as a RC. While the proposal contributes to a diverse housing supply, a more balanced mix of uses will be critical to avoid repeating low-intensity, suburban-style development patterns on large, well-positioned parcels. Thoughtful inclusion of non-residential uses, whether through vertical or horizontal mixed-use, can better serve the long-term function of the RC. However, the proposal is aligned with the existing development pattern along NE Expressway. Therefore, the proposed mixture of housing types is consistent with the building principles of the 2050 Comprehensive Plan (Pg. 31). Upon review of 27-7.3.5 (A-H) of the Zoning Ordinance and the Presidential Parkway Regional Center, Staff recommends “Approval with the attached conditions”.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: (July 8, 2025) Pending.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: (Juen 2025) Approval 4-1-0.