Two Dunwoody council members express concerns about Dominium age-restricted, affordable housing proposal

Opponents to an age-restricted senior housing project under consideration along one of the city’s most congested roadways may have a glimmer of hope for its defeat when two council members indicated that they were wavering on approving it.

The two, Rob Price and John Heneghan, made their remarks after a public hearing on the property under consideration, 4891 Ashford Dunwoody Rd., on a 3.42 acre parcel located at the intersection of Ashford Center Parkway.

It now contains a 15,700-square-foot medical office owned and occupied by LifeSouth Community Blood Center, which is selling the property.

Dominium, a property management and development company, requested to rezone the property from O-I (Office Industrial) to PD (Planned Development) to allow the site to be redeveloped into an age-restricted, income-restricted housing community with 215 rental units, with an approximate 240-space underground parking garage, and eight surface visitor parking spaces.

Attorney Dan Weber, a member of the committee who worked to incorporate Dunwoody, and former council member Robert Wittenstein both spoke in opposition, saying that the project is too dense and is not an appropriate transition from high-density housing in the Perimeter area to single-family housing farther up Ashford Dunwoody Road.

Dominium officials, however, argued that senior housing is needed for Dunwoody, and that 30 percent of Dunwoody seniors would qualify to live at the complex.

“Affordable rental options within the city of Dunwoody just isn’t available,” said Dominium Vice President Shaun Rhinehardt, adding that the apartments would be a viable option for those living on a fixed income or Social Security who have other assets.

Attorney Julie Sellers, representing the owners, said that the proposal aligns with the city’s planning documents and satisfies the code criteria, and that complex would improve the area with new sidewalks, streetscapes and landscaping.

During the public hearing, Dan Galasso, representing LifeSouth, spoke in support of the project, saying that no matter the outcome of the proposal, it will sell the property and move to another location.

Two other residents spoke in favor of the proposal.

David Ziskind, a candidate for District 2 city council, during public hearing, urged the council to “clearly state your reasoning when you take a position and vote.”

“Furthermore, I’d remind you that you represent your neighbors – our neighbors – and that your decisions should reflect what is best for the citizens of Dunwoody – not what is best for city staff or developers,” he said.

The Dunwoody Planning Commission at its July 8 meeting voted 4-1 to recommend the rezoning. The approval came with five conditions, including the development of a landscaping plan, the installation of a multi-purpose trail, and the stipulation that the development is consistent with Federal Fair Housing regulations.

During council remarks, both Price and Heneghan expressed concerns about the appropriateness of the density developers wanted for the property, which would compute to 62 units per acre.

“There are places in the city where this development would be appropriate, but I don’t think this is one of them,” Price said. “It would change the character of the area.”

Heneghan said he looked back on the history of the zoning laws for the Perimeter and surrounding areas, and that the P-3 designation, where the project is located, even in the early days, did not include residential housing, and called for lower density office and retail.

The council will vote on the project at its Sept. 8 meeting.

Related stories:
• Dunwoody considers comprehensive plan amid senior housing debate
• Planning Commission approves controversial zoning for senior housing

Another public hearing involved a 15,000-square foot former bank site on Ashford Dunwoody Road for restaurant group Raising Cane’s, LLC, regarding a rezoning from O-I (Office-Institution) to PC-1 (Perimeter Center). A companion request of a Special Land Use Permit, which was initially filed jointly with the rezoning application, was split after the applicant requested a deferral to conduct a traffic study.

The planning commission at its July 8 meeting, according to a staff memo, approved the rezoning and recommended deferral of the SLUP, both by 5-0 votes. At the Aug. 11 meeting, Dunwoody Senior Planner Madalyn Smith said the SLUP application would be considered at the September planning commission meeting.

Several people spoke in support of the rezoning, while Matthew Munoz, the general manager of the Le Meridian, spoke against it, citing potential issues with traffic congestion affecting the guests at the hotel.

After the presentation, Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said she felt uncomfortable with the splitting of the application, and added that she personally didn’t “have this use as my vision for the property.”

The council will consider the rezoning matter on second read at its Sept. 8 meeting.

The council also held another public hearing regarding a proposal to convert a 600,000 square-foot Perimeter Center office complex into multifamily residential housing.

The proposed development would involve the conversion of an existing 14-story office building at 64 Perimeter Center East into 169 condominiums, along with the construction of 101 town homes and 119 age-restricted apartments at 66 Perimeter Center East.

It was recommended for approval by the planning commission at its June meeting by a 5-0 vote.

A fourth public hearing was held regarding a proposal from the Toxaway Automotive Group for a SLUP to allow the construction of a drive-through oil-change facility in the Georgetown area on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. The applicant also requested two concurrent variances: to allow relief from the building setback requirements and to allow relief from the stacking lane setback requirements.

At its June 10 meeting, the planning commission voted not to recommend the rezoning application, according to a staff memo. At the public hearing, nobody spoke either for or against the application, but council members questioned the staff about their reasons for its non-recommendation.

In other action, the council:

• heard that budgeted revenues increased $1.3 million over the current budget, with no change to operating expenses, meaning that a projected $1.2 million withdrawal from reserves that was to be used to balance the budget will not be needed;
• Discussed an $88,000 expenditure for this year’s Brook Run Holiday Light Display. This year’s theme of “Cosmic Wonderland,” according to a staff memo, will include interactive components such as a glow-in-the-dark seesaw and UFO photo area, Mega Tree, nebula forest, Santa’s rocket launch, and spacewalk area;
• Honored Eliv Arias as the police officer of the second quarter and recognized Paul Chastain as the employee of the second quarter;
• Held a public hearing on several text changes to an adopted regulations for community residences and recovery communities “to clarify that the regulations and procedures comply with legal requirements, are free of conflicts, and treat similar uses in a consistent manner,” according to a staff memo presented to council. The council will consider the matter on second read at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

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