Public Hearing: YES ☒ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT:
Title
COMMISSION DISTRICT(S): Commission District 04 Super District 06
Application of AK Memorial Shopping Center, LLC to amend the future land use map from NC (Neighborhood Center) to CRC (Commercial Redevelopment Corridor) Character Area to allow for film/movie/tv production studios, at 5615 Memorial Drive..
Body
PETITION NO: D2. LP-22-1245669 (2022-1481)
PROPOSED USE: Film/movie/tv production studios.
LOCATION: 5615 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083
PARCEL NO. : 18-070-03-007, 18-070-03-011, 18-070-03-012
INFO. CONTACT: Brianna McCloud, Planner
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155
PURPOSE:
Application of AK Memorial Shopping Center, LLC to amend the future land use map from NC (Neighborhood Center) to CRC (Commercial Redevelopment Corridor) Character Area to allow for film/movie/tv production studios. The property is located on the south side of Memorial Drive, approximately 200 feet west of Hambrick Road at 5615, 5611, and 5639 Memorial Drive in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The property has approximately 610 feet of frontage along Hambrick Road and 800 feet of frontage along Memorial Drive and contains 16.46 acres.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (August 2022) Approval. (April 2022) Approval.
PLANNING COMMISSION: (September 1, 2022) Full Cycle Deferral. (May 5, 2022) No Recommendation.
PLANNING STAFF: Approval
STAFF ANALYSIS: Guiding Principles for Development: The basic premise is to focus more intense development at the Activity Centers/Nodes. This basic premise will help to protect existing neighborhoods from incompatible land uses. The intent of the 2035 plan is not to allow intense development throughout the designated node, but to provide consideration of the allowable densities/intensities. Listed below are the guiding principles for development. A. Locational Criteria - The most intense development shall occur in the center of the node or at the major intersections within the defined area. Higher density residential is encouraged within the defined area (stand alone or as a vertical mixed-use development). Office uses are encouraged within the node but can also be used as a buffer/transition between existing commercial uses and residential uses. Density shall be increased to support urban lifestyles within mixed uses. Bonuses shall be granted for workforce and senior housing. B. Land Use Compatibility - Development intensity shall transition from the densest toward the edge/periphery of the activity center. Smaller scale professional services and residential developments may serve as transitions to existing neighborhoods. Staggered heights, greater setbacks, increased screening/buffers can help mitigate compatibility issues. C. Neighborhood Compatibility - Commercial and office uses that would have a negative or blighting influence on adjacent residential neighborhoods or individual residence shall not be permitted. D. Services/Facilities - Proposed developments shall not degrade the level of service on roadways, capacity of water/sewer, or cause drainage problems. The developer must provide evidence to the contrary that is acceptable to staff, make on or off-site improvements, and/or provide funding to mitigate impact on public facilities and services. All new development will be subject to review of its proposed impact on existing services and infrastructure. Developers will be required to submit additional plans, which will mitigate any negative impacts. E. Environmental - The proposed development shall be allowed only in areas where it can be demonstrated that environmental damage will not occur, and mitigation measures must be approved by EPD and local stream buffer standards. F. Policies - The policies and strategies will be used to make recommendations for zoning and land use decisions. G. Mandatory Pre-Application Meeting - shall occur prior to zoning and land use application submittal to guide the applicant with development standards and maintaining an acceptable quality of life. Land Use Policies: Infill - Identify and encourage the development of priority areas for new infill or redevelopment. Mixed Use - Create compact mixed-use districts and reduce automobile dependency and travel to obtain basic services. Density - Allow increased density to encourage urban lifestyles that support mixed use in activity centers. Existing Residential - Ensure that new development and redevelopment is compatible with existing residential areas. Parking - Decrease the amount of land used for surface parking. Corridor Aesthetics - Improve the aesthetic appearance of developments along major corridors. Contextual Design - Support context sensitive design as a way to mitigate the impact of new development at higher densities and intensities. Land Development - Enforce the Land Development Chapter (14) of the County Code to improve development within the County. Zoning (Commercial) - Strictly regulate existing nonconforming commercial uses that are not recognized by the Future Development Map. Development Standards - Provide standards of development for retail, office and neighborhood-serving commercial uses to protect the appeal and character of neighborhoods. Transportation - Encourage development within and near principal transportation corridors and activity centers. TOD - Encourage Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in appropriate locations. Brownfield/Greyfields - Promote the reclamation and re -use of Brownfield and Greyfield development sites New Developments - Promote new communities that feature greenspace and neighborhood parks, pedestrian circulation transportation options, and appropriate mix of uses and housing types. Buffers - Encourage the use of buffers by large scale office, commercial, industrial, institutional and high -density residential development to reduce noise and air pollution in residential neighborhoods. Clustering - Encourage the clustering of neighborhood and community shopping and office facilities in nodes with defined boundaries which are convenient to population concentrations and major transportation facilities. Development of Activity Centers 1. Design Guidelines - Implement design guidelines for site planning, landscaping, hardscaping ,and architectural features to exhibit and enhance local character. 2. Small Area Plans (SAP) - Create small area studies to address specific land uses issues where needed. Adopted SAPs within Activity Centers (Regional, Urban, Town, and Neighborhood Centers) support the general policies with detailed design guidelines. Implement appropriate sub-policies & development guidelines in Activity Centers that have Small Area Plans, which provide more guidance to the development of mixed use and transition down to single family residential. The SAP densities and development guidelines should not exceed the existing activity center policies. Any conflicts are superseded by guidelines in the SAP. 3. Connectivity - Establish inter-parcel connectivity between residential and commercial properties. 4. Councils, Commissions and Boards Promote the appropriate training and guidance for the Community Council, Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners to ensure that objective and consistent zoning standards are applied. 5. GIS - Implement GIS based planning efforts to improve visual awareness and planning analysis. 6. Graphic Enhancements - Illustrate complex concepts with photos, renderings and other imagery. 7. Developers and Community Engagement - Encourage developers to work extensively with surrounding neighborhood residents to resolve community concerns prior to formalizing development plans. Commercial Redevelopment Corridor (CRC) The intent of the Commercial Redevelopment Corridor Character Area is to promote the redevelopment of declining commercial corridors and to improve the function and aesthetic appeal of more stable commercial corridors. These areas mostly consist of strip -style shopping centers that are in need of aesthetic or functional improvements, are in economic decline or are vacant. They are often characterized by a high degree of vehicular traffic, on-site parking, moderate floor to area ratio and large tracts of land. The proposed density for areas of this type is up 18 dwelling units per acre, with a maximum height of 3 stories. Primary Uses • Townhomes • Condominiums • Apartments • Health Care Facilities • Retail and Commercial • Office • Institutional Uses • Entertainment and Cultural Facilities • Park and Recreational Facilities • Public and Civic Facilities Major CRC Corridors • Memorial Drive • Lawrenceville Highway • Covington Highway • Panola Road • Turner Hill Road • Rock Chapel Road • Hairston Road Permitted Zoning • MU-5 • MU-4 • MU-3 • MU-2 • MR-1 • MR-2 • C-1 • OI OD • HR-1 • HR-2 • RS Cyclists and Pedestrians - Provide safe and attractive facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians. Transportation - Provide transportation alternatives to reduce automobile dependency. Mixed-Use Redevelopment - Redevelop older strip commercial centers into viable mixed -use developments . Streetscape - Create pedestrian scale communities that focus on the relationship between the street, buildings, streetscape improvements and people. Mixed Use Districts - Create compact mixed -use districts and reduce automobile dependency and travel to obtain basic services. Density - Cluster high density development at nodes & along major corridors outside of established residential areas. Landscaping - Use landscaping and other buffers to protect pedestrians from heavy traffic. Aesthetics - Create and implement performance and aesthetic standards to improve visual appearance. Signage - Implement signage and billboard controls. Parking - Require parking to the side or rear of buildings. Connectivity - Promote parcel interconnectivity. TOD - Promote transit -oriented development. Bike Parking - Provide safe and accessible areas for bicycle parking. Transit Incentives - Provide incentives to encourage transit compatible development. Transportation - Accommodate and encourage the development of multi -modal transportation centers, where appropriate. Access Management - Create and implement driveway controls and access management standards. Tree Preservation - Establish tree preservation and landscaping standards. Development - Focus development on parcels that abut or have access to the designated Commercial Redevelopment Corridor. Redevelopment Concept - In appropriate locations, build new commercial structures closer to street on existing under-utilized parking lots creating internal smaller or decked parking. Architectural Standards - Upgrade the appearance of existing older commercial buildings with façade improvements. Development Guidelines Setbacks - Greater setbacks shall be required when adjacent to lower density residential uses and transitional buffers shall be required. Buffers - Development shall incorporate enhanced buffers in an effort to protect single family neighborhoods. Heights - Proposed development shall consider and implement staggered heights when adjacent to single family residential neighborhoods. Memorial Drive Revitalization Corridor Action Plan The Action Plan consists of three (3) strategies: Change the Perception Create Demand Encourage Healthy Redevelopment One of the initiatives that are a part of ‘Changing the Perception’ of the corridor is to ‘Market (the corridor) for Filming’. It is staff’s determination that this private investment accomplishes this initiative. For this reason staff’s recommendation is ‘Approval’.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: (September 1, 2022) Full Cycle Deferral 8-0-0. LaSonya Osler moved, Jana Johnson seconded for a full cycle deferral to the November 2022 zoning meeting, per Staff recommendation. (May 5, 2022) No Recommendation. 1st Motion: LaSonya Osler moved, Jana Johnson seconded for Approval, per Staff recommendation. The motion failed 4-0-2. Lauren Blaszyk and Gwendolyn McCoy abstained. 2nd Motion: Gwendolyn McCoy moved to Defer to the Board of Commissioners. That motion failed for lack of a second. This application moves forward to the BOC with no recommendation from the Planning Commission.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: (August 2022) Approval 7-0-0. (April 2022) Approval 10-0-0.