Public Hearing: YES ☒ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): 4 and 6
Application of Christina Lewis for a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) to allow an attached wireless communication facility as a principal use in the C-1 (Local Commercial) zoning district, at 4717 East Anderson Road.
Body
PETITION NO: N6-2026-1103 SLUP-26-1248182
PROPOSED USE: Attached, wireless communication facility.
LOCATION: 4717 East Anderson Road, Stone Mountain, GA 30083
PARCEL NO. : 18 071 02 032
INFO. CONTACT: John Reid, Sr. Planner
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155
PURPOSE:
Application of Christina Lewis for a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) to allow an attached wireless communication facility as a principal use in the C-1 (Local Commercial) zoning district.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (August 2026) Denial.
PLANNING COMMISSION: (September 1, 2026) Pending.
PLANNING STAFF: (September 2026) Approval.
STAFF ANALYSIS: The applicant proposes to construct 3 fiber optic huts on a vacant property at 4717 East Anderson Road. While there are currently no “Fiber optic huts” land use categories in the Zoning Ordinance, Staff has determined that the most similar use is an “attached wireless telecommunications facility”, and that use is only allowed as an accessory use. Since the proposed fiber optic facility is the only proposed land use on the subject property, it is considered to be a “principal” land use, and the Planning & Sustainability Department has determined a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) is required. The property is currently zoned C-1 (Local Commercial) which allows a variety of commercial including office, child day care, and restaurant uses. The property abuts the Stonewood Village shopping center to the east (zoned C-1) and single-family residential properties to the west and north. The fiber optic huts will be approximately 864 square feet in size (each) and only 13 feet tall. Attached to the huts are six HVAC units that continuously run. Fiber optic huts are protective structures which house telecommunications and fiber optic interface equipment; they are used to regenerate fiber optics lines every 50 to 60 miles to maintain critical components of a long-haul fiber network. Based on the applicant’s submitted information, the facility will be unmanned and will only be serviced monthly, resulting in minimal traffic. No water or sewer is required. Additionally, an eight-foot-tall noise barrier is proposed around the structures to not only comply with the county noise ordinance (max 70 decibels) but will significantly lower noise impacts to 45 decibels. The property’s only access is off East Anderson Road, a narrow two-lane road that connects to Memorial Drive to the east. The county transportation department indicated the following: “East Anderson is classified as a local road. SLUP does not change the existing shoulders or curb cuts. Verify that all access points have intersection and stopping sight distance as described by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (aka AASHTO)”. Based on Section 7.4.6.H (Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan), the proposed 13-foot building heights are consistent with the Commercial Redevelopment Corridor (CRC) Character Area which calls for development that complements the height and density of adjacent and nearby single-family uses (2050 Comprehensive Plan, CRC Character Area, Land Use Compatibility, page 37). The subject property is located within the Memorial Drive Revitalization Corridor planning area. The Memorial Drive Revitalization Corridor Plan establishes a broader policy framework focused on encouraging reinvestment, supporting healthy redevelopment, improving infrastructure, and attracting public and private investment along the corridor. The Plan’s recommendations are also intended to inform future land-use and zoning decisions within the Memorial Drive area. While the Plan does not specifically address fiber-optic amplification facilities, the proposed use represents an utility infrastructure investment that can be considered consistent with the Plan’s broader objectives of supporting reinvestment and infrastructure necessary for the continued evolution of the Memorial Drive corridor. With Zoning Ordinance requirements addressing appropriate buffering, screening, noise, access, and environmental considerations, staff finds that the proposed use can be accommodated in a manner that supports the Plan’s revitalization objectives while minimizing potential impacts on surrounding residential properties. Accordingly, the proposal is generally consistent with the broader goals and implementation framework of the Memorial Drive Revitalization Corridor Plan. While the property can be adequately accessed via East Anderson Road, Staff suggests the applicant explore coordinating with the adjacent Stonewood Village Shopping Center property owner on a shared access or easement agreement to provide an additional connection to Memorial Drive, which could improve traffic circulation to the site over time. It appears that the proposed attached wireless communication facility may have less adverse traffic impacts on surrounding and nearby properties than other commercial uses allowed as a permitted use by right in the current C-1 zoning district such as offices, child day care centers, and restaurants. Based on the submitted information, there will be compliance with the noise ordinance, minimal traffic, compliance with the 50- foot buffer requirements along the western property line, and compliance with maximum lot coverage and building setback requirements. Therefore, it appears that the zoning proposal will permit a use that is suitable in view of use and development of adjacent and nearby properties. consistent with the Commercial Redevelopment Corridor (CRC) Character Area which calls for development that complements the height and density of adjacent and nearby single-family uses (2050 Comprehensive Plan, CRC Character Area, Land Use Compatibility, page 37). The subject property is also located within the Memorial Drive Revitalization Corridor planning area. The Memorial Drive Revitalization Corridor Plan establishes a broader policy framework focused on encouraging reinvestment, supporting healthy redevelopment, improving infrastructure, and attracting public and private investment along the corridor. While the Plan does not specifically address fiber-optic amplification facilities, the proposed use represents an infrastructure investment that can be considered consistent with the Plan’s broader objectives of supporting reinvestment and infrastructure necessary for the continued evolution of the Memorial Drive corridor. Based on Section 7.4.6,B (Compatibility with adjacent properties), it appears that the proposed use will be suitable with adjacent and surrounding properties given compliance with noise, access, building height, building setbacks, and required buffer requirements. It appears that the proposed attached wireless communication facility may have less adverse impacts on surrounding and nearby properties than other commercial uses allowed as a permitted use by right in the current C-1 zoning district includes offices, child day care centers, and restaurants. Therefore, based on review of the applicable criteria under Section 27-7.4.6 of the DeKalb County Zoning Ordinance, it is the recommendation of the Planning & Sustainability Department that application (SLUP-26-1248182) be “Approved”.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: (September 1, 2026) Pending.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: (August 2026) Denial (5-3-0) based upon the belief that “this is an environmentally sensitive area that could be adversely affected; the benefits do not outweigh the risks”.