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C I T Y O F A T L A N T A KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING TIM KEANE MAYOR 55 TRINITY AVENUE, S.W. SUITE 3350 – ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-0308 COMMISSIONER 404-330-6145 – FAX: 404-658-7491 www.atlantaga.gov KEYETTA M. HOLMES, AICP Director Office of Zoning and Development MEMORANDUM TO: Zoning Review Board FROM: Keyetta M. Holmes, AICP, Zoning Administrator KMH SUBJECT: Z-17-59/Z-21-26 for 320 North Highland Avenue, NE and 342 Copenhill Avenue, NE DATE: April 8, 2021 An Ordinance by Councilmember Amir Farokhi to reconsider court remanded rezoning application number Z-17-59 and to rezone property located at 320 North Highland Avenue NE from RG-2/HC20L SA 1/BL (Residential General District Regulations Sector 2/Inman Park Historic District SA 1/Beltline Overlay) to MRC-1-C/HC20L SA 1/BL (Mixed Residential Commercial District Regulations Conditional/Inman Park Historic District SA 1/Beltline Overlay) and to rezone property located at 342 Copenhill Avenue NE from RG-2/HC20L SA 1/BL (Residential General District Regulations Sector 2/Inman Park Historic District SA 1/Beltline Overlay) to RG-2-C/HC20L SA 1/BL (Residential General District Regulations Sector 2 Conditional/Inman Park Historic District SA 1/Beltline Overlay); and for other purposes. FINDINGS OF FACT: • Property Location: The subject site fronts 123 feet on the north side of North Highland Avenue, NE and 118.42 feet on the north side of Copenhill Avenue, NE and begins 111 feet from the intersection of North Highland Avenue, NE and Elizabeth Street, NE. The property is in Land Lot 15 the 14th District of Fulton County, Georgia in the Inman Park neighborhood of NPU-N, Council District 2. • Property Size and Physical Features: The subject site is approximately 0.665 (28,967 sq. ft.) acres. The site is currently developed with a two-story brick structure. An accessory parking lot is located to the northeast of the building and is accessible from a curb cut along North Highland Avenue. Although there is limited landscaping, a number of mature trees are scattered on the site within the small lawns and parking areas. The lot topography varies with multiple grade changes across the site. Z-17-59 for 320 North Highland Avenue, NE and 342 Copenhill Avenue, NE April 8, 2021 Page 2 of 4 • CDP Land Use Map Designation: The current land use category for the site is Mixed Use. The proposed rezoning to the MRC-1-C/HC20L SA 1/BL (Mixed Residential Commercial District Regulations Conditional/Inman Park Historic District SA 1/Beltline Overlay) zoning classification consistent with the existing land use designation within the 2016 Comprehensive Development Plan. • Current/Past Use of Property: The property is currently developed with a two-story primary structure with a gravel surface parking area, which appears to have previously been a variety of industrial and residential uses. • Surrounding Zoning/Land Uses: The subject site and surrounding parcels are zoned I- 2/HC20L SA1/BL (Heavy Industrial/Inman Park Historic District Subarea 1/Beltline Overlay) zoning with a Mixed Use land use designation to the north, C-2/HC20L SA1/BL (Commercial Service/Inman Park Historic District Subarea 1/Beltline Overlay) with a Mixed Use land use designation to the northwest, I-1/HC20L SA1/BL (Light Industrial/Inman Park Historic District Subarea 1/Beltline Overlay) zoning to the west, C-1/HC20L SA1/BL (Community Business/Inman Park Historic District Subarea 1/Beltline Overlay) zoning with a Mixed Use land use designation to the south and southwest, R-5 (Two-Family Residential/Inman Park Historic District Subarea 1/Beltline Overlay) zoning with a Low Density Residential land use designation to the southeast. Uses in the area are characterized with both residential and commercial uses including restaurants, offices, retail, personal services, studios among others. • Transportation System: North Highland Avenue is classified as a collector street, and Copenhill Avenue, is classified as a local street. MARTA does not service the immediate area, but the closest bus route is route #16 along Freedom Parkway. Sidewalks are consistently provided along both sides of North Highland Avenue and along the west side of Copenhill Avenue. PROPOSAL: 320 North Highland Avenue NE: The proposal is to reconsider court remanded rezoning application number Z-17-59 and to rezone property located at 320 North Highland Avenue NE from RG-2/HC20L SA 1/BL (Residential General District Regulations Sector 2/Inman Park Historic District SA 1/Beltline Overlay) to MRC-1-C/HC20L SA 1/BL (Mixed Residential Commercial District Regulations Conditional/Inman Park Historic District SA 1/Beltline Overlay). The proposed conditions will balance the requirements of the MRC-1 zoning category with the unique characteristics of the subject property and the surrounding neighborhood. Accordingly, the permitted principal uses that can be developed under the requested category are low density residential and non-residential uses intended to serve a single neighborhood or small group of adjacent neighborhoods. All non-residential sales and service shall be conducted within enclosed permanent structures and there shall be no unenclosed displays of merchandise except for off- street parking and outdoor dining. The site shall be limited to 1.4 times net lot area for non- residential uses, allow an expanded curb cut for ingress and egress from the site and provide streetscape improvements consistent with the Inman Park Historic District regulations. Z-17-59 for 320 North Highland Avenue, NE and 342 Copenhill Avenue, NE April 8, 2021 Page 3 of 4 342 Copenhill Avenue NE: While the court remand did not require the property located at 342 Copenhill Avenue NE to be rezoned, the property was included in the requested rezoning from RG-2/HC20L SA 1/BL (Residential General District Regulations Sector 2/Inman Park Historic District SA 1/Beltline Overlay) to RG-2-C/HC20L SA 1/BL (Residential General District Regulations Sector 2 Conditional/Inman Park Historic District SA 1/Beltline Overlay) to explore development opportunities that rezoned both 320 North Highland Avenue and 342 Copenhill Avenue. However, at this time there is not a proposed development that would rezone both properties and Staff recommends that 342 Copenhill Avenue NE not be rezoned and removed from this proposal. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Compatibility with comprehensive development plan (CDP); timing of development: Since the proposed development of 320 North Highland Avenue is consistent with the existing Mixed-Use land use designation, no CDP land use changes are proposed. There are no known public projects or programs with which the timing of the project would conflict. Therefore, Staff notes that it is not applicable. 2. Availability of and effect of public facilities and services; referral to other agencies: The location of 320 North Highland Avenue and surrounding uses indicate there are public facilities and services available to the subject property. Furthermore, there has been no indication from review agencies and departments that there would not be adequate public facilities and services at the subject location. 3. Availability of other land suitable for proposed use; environmental effect on balance of land uses: The zoning regulations indicate that this consideration is optional. Furthermore, the proposed development of 320 North Highland Avenue is within an existing mixed-use block of the Inman Park neighborhood commercial district that is adjacent to several commercially zoned properties. The proposed zoning category permits a range of retail, service, office, and commercial uses. In this case, although there appears to be other parcels located in proximity to the site that would support the proposed mixed-use, Staff is of the opinion that this proposal to rezone 320 North Highland Avenue is reasonable in that it would not change the balance of land uses in the area. 4. Effect on character of the neighborhood: Staff finds that the proposed redevelopment of 320 North Highland Avenue provides an additional opportunity for retail, service, office, and commercial uses in the Inman Park neighborhood commercial district. This is consistent with the intent of the Mixed Use (1-4 stories) character area for new development within the Atlanta Beltline Subarea 5 Master Plan. Moreover, the Council District 2 Rail Corridor Inventory and Assessment recommended the conversion of the existing land uses “to mixed uses in new development and existing buildings to compliment the surrounding neighborhoods. This includes residential, retail, institutional and low-impact industrial and commercial uses.” The Council District 2 Rail Corridor Inventory and Assessment also recommends a mixed-use land use designation for the area in which the redevelopment is located. Z-17-59 for 320 North Highland Avenue, NE and 342 Copenhill Avenue, NE April 8, 2021 Page 4 of 4 Furthermore, 320 North Highland Avenue is located within a block of the Inman Park neighborhood commercial district of similar sized structures. This proposed rezoning is an appropriate addition to the neighborhood commercial district and would not further encroach into the surrounding greenspace or residential areas. Therefore, Staff is of the opinion that the approval of the applicant’s request for 320 North Highland Avenue would not have an adverse effect on the character of the neighborhood. 5. Suitability of proposed land use: Any proposed development must be in alignment with the Mixed-Use land use classification of the Atlanta Beltline Subarea 5 Master Plan. Furthermore, the Council District 2 Rail Corridor Inventory and Assessment recommends the adaptive reuse and conversion of the properties along North Highland Avenue in between Elizabeth Street and Copenhill Avenue to zoning districts that are compatible with the recommended Mixed-Use land use designation. Therefore, Staff notes the land use would be suitable concerning any development that is zoned MRC-1-C.