Public Hearing: YES ☒ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT:
Title
COMMISSION DISTRICT(S): 5 and 7
Application of Virginia Singh and Manbir Singh for a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) to allow a package store in the C-2 (General Commercial) zoning district and Tier 1 of the Hidden Hills Overlay District, at 5395 Covington Highway.
Body
PETITION NO: N1-2026-0707 SLUP-26-1248084
PROPOSED USE: Package store.
LOCATION: 5395 Covington Highway, Decatur, GA 30035
PARCEL NO. : 15 161 02 017
INFO. CONTACT: Andrea Folgherait, Sr. Planner
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155
PURPOSE:
Application of Virginia Singh and Manbir Singh for a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) to allow a package store in the C-2 (General Commercial) zoning district and Tier 1 of the Hidden Hills Overlay District.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (June 2026) Denial.
PLANNING COMMISSION: (July 7, 2026) Pending.
PLANNING STAFF: (July 2026) Denial.
STAFF ANALYSIS: The applicant is seeking a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) to allow a package store in the C-2 (General Commercial) zoning district and Tier 1 of the Hidden Hills Overlay District. Pursuant to Section 4.2.8 A2 (Supplemental Regulations), package stores must be located a minimum of 600 feet from any residence, church, school building or grounds, educational facility, college campus, or adult entertainment establishment. Based on Staff's review, an institution of early childhood education is located approximately 470 feet from the subject property. This distance was measured from easterly-most building wall of the subject property to the westerly most wall of the educational facility using the county’s electronic distance measurement (EDM) tool. Therefore, the proposal does not satisfy the required separation distance. Additionally, the subject site is located within the Neighborhood Center (NC) Character Area and appears inconsistent with the goals and policies of the DeKalb 2050 Unified Plan. The NC Character Area is intended to serve as a focal point for surrounding neighborhoods that provide a mix of commercial, office, residential, and public spaces that are accessible to pedestrians (Pg.33). While retail uses are appropriate uses in the Neighborhood Center Character Area, the proposed package/ liquor store does not appear to enhance intended pedestrian-oriented, civically engaging development pattern envisioned for the NC Character Area. As submitted, the site plan does not include public gathering space, civic-oriented design features, or enhancements to pedestrian mobility that would support the future development of a walkable Neighborhood Center. Further, in local studies, including that prepared by Dean Badney, Brent Teasdale, and Audrey Clubb of (of Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies) entitled The Relationship between SLUP 6 businesses and Negative Outcomes in DeKalb County, package/liquor stores are one of six business types requiring a Special Land Use Permit (or “SLUP”) that are associated with adverse impacts to public safety, public health, economic development and the general well-being of individuals and neighborhoods. The subject site is located at the intersection of Covington Highway and South Hairston Road, where similar automobile-oriented uses already exist on the surrounding corners. Approval of the proposed package store may further concentrate SLUP-6 uses in a manner that is inconsistent with the intent of Section 4.1.1 and the Special Land Use Permit criteria of Section 7.4.6(B), Staff must consider the compatibility of the proposed use with adjacent properties and land uses, as well as other properties and land uses in the district, including whether the proposed use will create adverse impacts upon adjoining land uses by reason of traffic volume or congestion, noise, smoke, odor, dust, or vibration generated by the proposed use. As such, Staff finds the proposal is inconsistent with 4.2.8 A2 (Supplemental Regulations), Sections 4.1.1 (SLUP- 6), and 7.4.6 (Special Land Use Permit Criteria) of the Zoning Ordinance and recommends “Denial”.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: (July 7, 2026) Pending.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: (June 2026) Denial 9-0-0.