Public Hearing: YES ☒ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT:
Title
COMMISSION DISTRICT(S): Commission District 03 Super District 06
Application of Eisenhower Services, Inc. c/o Tracy Swearington, Sr. to rezone property from Tier 4a of the Bouldercrest Overlay District within the Soapstone Historic District with an underlying M (Industrial) zoning district to Tier 5 of the Bouldercrest Overlay District within the Soapstone Historic District with an underlying R-100 (Residential Medium Lot-100) zoning district to allow for a single-family, residential development, at 1680, 1690 and 1700 Henrico Road.
Body
PETITION NO: N14-2026-0151 Z-26-1247931
PROPOSED USE: Single-family residential development.
LOCATION: 1680, 1690 and 1700 Henrico Road, Conley, GA 30288
PARCEL NO. : 15 046 01 001; 15 046 01 006; 15 046 01 005
INFO. CONTACT: John Reid, Sr. Planner
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155
PURPOSE:
Application of Eisenhower Services, Inc. c/o Tracy Swearington, Sr. to rezone property from Tier 4a of the Bouldercrest Overlay District within the Soapstone Historic District with an underlying M (Industrial) zoning district to Tier 5 of the Bouldercrest Overlay District within the Soapstone Historic District with an underlying R-100 (Residential Medium Lot-100) zoning district to allow for a single-family, residential development.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (Feb. 2026) Denial.
PLANNING COMMISSION: (March 3, 2026) No Recommendation.
PLANNING STAFF: (March 2026) Two-Cycle Deferral.
STAFF ANALYSIS: The request is to rezone three properties from Tier 4a of the Bouldercrest Overlay District (BOD) with an underlying zoning of M (Light Industrial) district to Tier 5 of the BOD with an underlying R-100 (Residential Medium Lot-100) zoning district to allow for single-family detached residential development. One of the three subject properties currently falls within a land use designation of SUB, while the other two properties are located in a LIND Character Area. There is also a companion land use amendment to change the other two parcels from Light Industrial (LIND) Character Area to Suburban (SUB) Character area. The application proposes thirty-one (31) single-family lots on 36.7 acres for a density of 0.5 units per acre. The BOD was adopted by the Board of Commissioners on March 22, 2013. The two primary industrial tiers include Tier 4 and Tier 4a. Tier 4A of the BOD is the industrial area along the east side of I-675 and west of the existing Georgia Power Overhead Utility Easement located south of I-285 and north of Cedar Grove Road. Because Tier 4A is only separated from residential neighborhoods by the utility easement, uses and standards are more stringent in this tier. Tier 4a is adjacent to Tier 5 which is a single-family residential tier to the east and , at this location, is currently developed with a single-family residential subdivision (Westside Place and Bouldercrest Phase 2). The remainder of Tier 4a appears to be developed with industrial uses including truck parking. There are many competing goals emanating from the 2050 Comprehensive Plan and the Bouldercrest Overlay District that should be considered in the staff recommendation for this project. Given these goals and the subject properties’ proximity to existing single-family neighborhoods and frontage along two interstates and a truck route, it appears that either industrial or single-family residential may be appropriate on these properties. Some additional considerations regarding the application are as follows: Goals or determinations in support of this project: The proposed single-family project is consistent with the 2050 Comprehensive Plan’s goal of encouraging “new and diverse housing types to help the county meet market demand and support continued growth” (Page 14, 2050 Comprehensive Plan Housing Opportunities) The single-family residential subdivisions built circa 2005/2006 abutting the subject properties to the east (Westside Place and Bouldercrest Phase 2) appear to be a stable neighborhood, in good condition since the adoption of the BOD in 2013. New construction of single-family homes is consistent with the purposes and intent of the BOD to “improve the visual appearance and increase property values in the BOD community” (Sec 3.39.1.A.6, Statement of Purpose and Intent, Bouldercrest Overlay District). The proposed new residential development is consistent with the purpose and intent of the BOD to “enhance the long-term viability of the district by encouraging new commercia, industrial, and residential developments that increase the tax base and provide employment opportunities for the citizens of DeKalb County” (Page Sec 3.39.1.A.7, State of Purpose and Intent, Bouldercrest Overlay District). No industrial development has occurred on the subject properties since the BOD was originally established in 2013 calling into question the viability of industrial uses at this location. Since the subject properties fall at the northern edge of Tier 4a and most of the remaining Tier 4a areas to the south are developed with industrial uses/truck parking uses, it does not appear that changing to a residential Tier 5 will adversely impact the viability of the remaining Tier 4a or the BOD. Goals or determinations in opposition to this project: Typically, properties located along a truck route (Henrico Road) with frontage along two interstates (I-675 and I-285) are more suited for commercial or industrial uses. However, the subject properties do not have direct access to these interstates. There is already a strong zoning boundary line of demarcation between Tier 4a Industrial and Tier 5 Residential that extends to the south, almost to Cedar Grove Road. LIND Character areas encourage “locating industrial centers in areas with good access to interstates and truck routes, and to direct industrial development to existing industrial districts, especially sites with limited negative environmental impacts” (Page 51, LIND Character Area Goals). The encroachment of residential into industrial zoned lands could set a precedent for similar future encroachments, however it appears that most of the Tier 4a lands have already been developed so this risk may be overstated. The LIND Character area calls for “conducting small area plans and freight cluster studies to better define industrial areas and address transitions and traffic impacts” (Page 51, LIND Character Area Goals, 2050 Comprehensive Plan). A Small Area Plan (SAP) is currently underway which includes the subject properties, but that SAP is not anticipated to be adopted until late 2026. The properties fronting Henrico Road abutting the east and west side of one of the subject properties (1680 Henrico Road) currently contain truck parking. If approved, residents of the new single-family project will be accessing a heavy truck route and may encounter potential visual, traffic, and noise impacts from adjacent industrial uses. However, the exiting neighborhood would have similar or more intense impacts in the future if these parcels were developed as currently entitled. Notwithstanding the competing issues and goals, an over-arching goal of the 2050 Comprehensive Plan is to provide new and affordable housing in the county. However, if the subject properties were to be rezoned to Tier 5 residential, there would be two remnant industrial-zoned truck parking lots on either side of the subject property fronting on Henrico Road. Therefore, the proposed rezoning as currently submitted might result in adverse visual and noise impacts to the proposed new single-family lots being sandwiched between truck parking. In order for single-family residential to be supported in this Tier 4a area on the north side of Henrico Road, Staff believes that the Board of Commissioners would need to consider rezoning all the Tier 4a industrial zoned properties (which include both truck parking lots). Rezoning all industrial properties in this area would eliminate any potential land use conflicts between residential and industrial uses and would also allow the opportunity for the existing non-conforming truck lots to one day convert to single-family residential which would further minimize land use conflicts between industrial and residential uses. Notwithstanding the above, there are design issues that need to be addressed on the applicant’s conceptual plan, which may require a decrease in the number of lots, including but not limited to the following: Provide compliance with Section 5.2.3 of the Zoning Ordinance requiring the proposed single-family subdivision to be compatible with the abutting single-family lots to the east relating to lot size and lot width. Remove any proposed access out of the Georgia Power Easement. Stub-out streets are not allowed, and the proposed round-a-bouts may not be allowed. Lot #1 need to show compliance with minimum front setback of 35 feet from Henrico Road. Provision of underground utilities is encouraged. Show FAR calculations as max FAR in Tier 5 is 1. A portion of Lot 8’s building footprint needs to be removed out of the Georgia Power Easement. Show compliance with buffer requirements along Henrico Road relating to Section 5.4.7.B of the Zoning Ordinance. Please refer to the requirements in Zoning Code 5.4.3 and Land Development Code 14-190. Prefer internal streets to be private. If public, the internal streets require a right of way dedication of 55 feet (total) OR such that all public infrastructure is within right of way, whichever greater. Requires 24 feet of pavement with curb and gutter. Requires 6-foot landscape strip with a 5-foot sidewalk. Requires streetlights. hefowler@dekalbcountyga.gov <mailto:hefowler@dekalbcountyga.gov>. Internal roundabout must be one-lane, one direction. Please refer to the requirements in Zoning Code 5.4.3 and Land Development Code 14-190. Requires a right of way dedication of 35 feet from centerline OR such that all public infrastructure is within right of way, whichever greater. Requires a 10-foot landscape strip with a 6-foot sidewalk and 4-foot bike lane OR (PREFERRED) a 10-foot landscape strip with a 10-foot multi-use path. At least 5 feet of the landscape strip must lie between the back of curb and the multi-use path or sidewalk. All intersections must meet AASHTO sight distance requirements based on speed limits. Concerned about entrance location based on horizontal and vertical curves along the site. All poles and other obstructions must be relocated out of the multi-use path 1700 Henrico has state water going through the middle of the property. The 25 and 75-foot stream buffers will apply. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the Planning & Sustainability Department that the rezone application be “Deferred, Two Cycles“ to the July 2026 zoning agenda to allow the Board of Commissioners time to consider rezoning all the Tier 4a properties north of Henrico Road, and to allow the applicant appropriate time to address the design issues.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: (March 3, 2026) No Recommendation (4-3-0). Motion was made by Commissioner Costello, seconded by Commissioner Zou for denial. Commissioners Murphy, Osler and Patton opposed.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: (February 2026) Denial 11-0-0. The Council recommended denial due to concerns over loss of industrial property and that residential use was not appropriate in this industrial location where there is lots of truck traffic along Henrico Road. The Council was supportive of more single-family residential housing in appropriate locations in District 3.