DeKalb zoning overload!
August 20, 2008 at 3:47 pm by Scott Henry in NewsGet ready to OD on rezoning issues, DeKalbites. There’s a host of heavy-duty proposals coming down the pike that promises to keep slow-growthers, homeowner activists and land-use variance geeks occupied for days to come.
First up is an apartment complex being proposed for the Merry Hills neighborhood just west of the Toco Hill Shopping Center by Ashkouti Development. In an e-mail to constituents, local state Rep. Mike Jacobs, (R-DeKalb) calls the plan “the most egregious encroachment into a residential neighborhood I have seen during my time in public service.” Mike can be pretty hard to read sometimes, but we’re gonna go out on a limb and guess this means he doesn’t like it.
A mile to the east along North Druid Hills Road just on the other side of Clairmont Road, venerable developer Julian LeCraw & Co. wants to redevelop the sprawling, ’60s-era Williamsburg Apartments complex. The company hasn’t yet decided what it would do with the property, but chances are it’ll go for mixed-use with some retail.Lastly, the owners of the huge Executive Park office complex at Briarcliff and I-75 are finally moving forward with plans to overhaul their aging property. In fact, they want an intensely dense Town Center designation, which could allow them to add hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail space, hundreds of new homes and nearly a million square feet of new office space. In addition, they’re seeking variances (whoa, now!) that would allow some buildings to be as tall as 12 stories.
Of these proposals, the Executive Park plan has the most community support, probably because ultra-high density makes sense for that location.
All three plans will be discussed at a public hearing scheduled for 6:30 tonight at the Mason Mill Recreation Center in Toco Hills.
Speaking of support, the homeowner advocacy group StandUp DeKalb actually has some kind words for its nemesis, the Sembler Co. Specifically, member Flo Wolf sent out an e-letter offering back-handed props to the Tampa-based development firm for being among the finalists seeking to buy and redevelop the old Doraville GM plant:
“Unlike Sembler’s ill-conceived Briarcliff Town Center proposed at North Druid Hills and Briarcliff Roads, retooling the 165-acre Doraville property for a live-work-play environment will be the greatest thing since sliced bread for DeKalbites.”
Happy zoning, DeKalb!
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August 21st, 2008 at 10:18 am
Duh! Mike loves to jump in on the obvious, and he writes it like there is a problem with the present zoning process in DeKalb. I believe that area is covered by Commissioners Gannon and Rader. If the two home commissioners are against something the zoning gets turned down. Simple as that. This thing won’t go anywhere if the neighborhood is against it for valid reasons.
The reason Dunwoody claimed bad zoning was that zoning loophole that got closed AND the fact that the commissioner THEY voted in, Elaine Boyer sometimes votes big business instead of neighborhoods.
But hey State reps often get involved in Zoning Issues….NOT!
Just hope he gets involved in making sure his constituents get a new police station because the City of Dunwoody which he supported is taking the one that serves many of his constituents (as well as a fire station).
Or maybe Mike can look into why Secretary of State Handel is politicizing her office and distorting the law to deny people the right to vote, the latest instance being her kicking Mike Jacob’s only potential challenger, Michelle Conlon, out of the race………
August 21st, 2008 at 10:22 am
And by the way Stand Up DeKalb, Doraville isn’t your neck of the woods. Take that together with the fact that Sembler’s not a very good developer in general and that their live work play is half hearted and still car oriented. Take all that and maybe wait until you heap praise on something. Or are you trying to get props of not being against everything by supporting something in someone else’s backyard?
August 21st, 2008 at 10:25 am
Though in reading more carefully I should probably apologize. I think the article almost made it look like Stand Up was supporting Sembler at Doraville when it may be that they were merely supporting the idea of dense live work play there. My apologies if that is the case. If its well done, since its next to the Doraville Rail station this is one place where the Town Center Designation is appropriate.
Druid Hills it is not because a local bus route does not equate to transit service.