Development News for Atlanta, Georgia

Zoning Review Board Approves Deferrals, Reversions, Setback Reductions, and Special Use Permit for Truck Terminal

The Zoning Review Board considered three cases for deferral: Z-26-25 at 1155 Hank Aaron Drive SW for a 30-day deferral, Z-26-26 at 860 Fox Street for a 60-day deferral, and U-26-08 at 4475 Roswell Road NE for a 30-day deferral. All deferral requests were approved by the board. Subsequently, the board considered case Z-26-23 at 963 Alleen Avenue SW, which involved rezoning from R4 single-family to R5 or R4A to R5 two-family residential to revert a quadplex to a duplex. The applicant, David Cerna, stated that the interior renovations would revert the home to its original duplex use. The board accepted the staff's findings of fact and recommended approval. The board also considered case Z-26-24 at 1579 Gates Place NW, a rezoning from planned development housing to planned development housing for a change of conditions, specifically to reduce setbacks to allow enclosure of an existing deck as a screened porch. The applicant, Elizabeth Klein, confirmed awareness of staff conditions including adherence to a provided survey and original legislation for the planned development community. The board accepted staff findings and recommended approval with conditions. Finally, the board considered U-26-06 at 2090 and 2024 Jonesboro Road SE for a special use permit for a truck terminal. The applicant, Harold Buckley Jr., explained the need for the permit to overcome financing and saleability issues associated with its non-conforming status. The neighborhood opposition, represented by Shirley Nichols and Norwood Manor Neighborhood Association, cited lack of community engagement, unfulfilled replanting agreements, and environmental concerns. The board accepted staff findings and recommended approval with conditions as outlined in the staff report, but not with the applicant's request to remove said conditions. The final case, Z-26-09 at 708 Kirkwood Avenue SE, involved rezoning from Cabbage Town Landmark District Subarea 3 to Subarea 4 to adaptively reuse a historic church for primarily residential use, with no increase in footprint, scale, scope, or size. The applicant, Chris Walbert, noted staff findings that the request supports adaptive reuse and reinforces the residential character. The board accepted staff findings and recommended approval.