Public Hearing: YES ☒ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT: Rezone - Greg Ramsey
Title
COMMISSION DISTRICT(S): 2 & 6
Application of Greg Ramsey to rezone property from R-100 (Residential-Medium Lot-100) to RSM (Small Lot Residential Mix) to develop 21 urban single-family detached dwelling units, at 3398 Briarcliff Road.
Body
PETITION NO: N6. Z-19-1243163
PROPOSED USE: 21 urban single-family detached homes.
LOCATION: 3398 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta.
PARCEL NO. : 18-195-09-002
INFO. CONTACT: Marian Eisenberg
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-4922
PURPOSE:
Application Z-19-1243163 of Greg Ramsey to rezone property from R-100 (Residential-Medium Lot-100) to RSM (Small Lot Residential Mix) to develop 21 urban single-family detached dwelling units. The property is located on the northwest side of Briarcliff Road, approximately 229 feet east of Branch Bend, at 3398 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta. The property has approximately 668 feet of frontage on Briarcliff Road, approximately 60 feet of frontage on Continental Drive and contains 8.7 acres.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: FULL CYCLE DEFERRAL.
PLANNING COMMISSION: APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS.
PLANNING STAFF: APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS.
STAFF ANALYSIS: The zoning proposal is consistent with housing policy No. 9 of the 2035 Comprehensive Plan to “. . . provide a variety of housing opportunities and choices to better accommodate the needs of residents.” It is consistent with the following natural resources policies: “Protect environmentally-sensitive areas including wetlands, floodplains, water supply watersheds, and stream corridors.” (No. 1) “Preserve trees and other natural resources to protect the environment and aesthetically enhance communities.” (No. 4) “Encourage the preservation of open space, farmland, and natural and critical environmental areas.” (No. 6) At 2.5 units per acre, the proposed density of the development is lower than that of the surrounding neighborhoods, which are developed at R-100 densities. The comparatively low density of the proposed development is suitable in the context of the use of adjoining and nearby properties. The zoning proposal is supported by a growing recognition that continued urbanization of the County heightens the need to restore large green spaces, such as that which would be provided in the proposed development, to the County’s natural resource inventory. Moreover, urbanization has led to traffic congestion and has deteriorated levels of service on arterials such as Briarcliff Road, which is documented in the 2014 Comprehensive Transportation Plan as having a PM peak-hour level of service “F” for most of its distance between North Druid Hills Road and Shallowford Road. The need to alleviate congestion on Briarcliff Road supports the proposal in that it lowers the allowed density of the property and proposes a way to distribute traffic onto the network of neighborhood streets that feed into Briarcliff Road. There has been no indication from reviewing agencies and divisions that the proposed development would overburden the public transportation, school, or utility infrastructure. Therefore, the Department of Planning and Sustainability recommends “Approval with conditions”.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: Approval with Conditions, 9-0-0. A. Atkins moved and J. West seconded for approval as recommended and conditioned by Staff.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: Full cycle deferral, 6-0-0. The Community Council Board recommended full cycle deferral to allow time for the applicant to address comments by neighbors, who objected to access from Continental Drive. Neighbors also objected to removal of trees for construction of the proposed development.