Low-income senior housing project rejected by Dunwoody City Council

Another packed crowd attended the Sept Dunwoody City Council meeting with multiple speaking in opposition to a senior housing project on Ashford Dunwoody Road Photo by Cathy Cobbs The Dunwoody City Council at its Sept meeting voted unanimously to deny a rezoning application that would allow the construction of a low-income senior housing complex on Ashford Dunwoody Road despite the fact that the developers at the last minute reduced the height and density of the complex Dominium a property management and evolution company had requested to rezone a three-acre property from O-I Office Industrial to PD Planned Advance to allow the site to be redeveloped into an age-restricted income-restricted housing neighborhood with rental units with an approximate -space underground parking garage and eight surface visitor parking spaces The proposal has been met with overwhelming opposition from people who objected to the density height and location of the project Before the matter was discussed two representatives from Dominium spoke during population comment saying that the plan has been significantly altered in order to adhere more closely to zoning that is being proposed in the city s Comprehensive Plan for that character area referred to as Ashford A memo in the city council presentation packet submitted by Dominium and discussed by the representatives attorney Julie Somers and company vice president Shaun Rhinehardt during society comment explained that the site plan was revised to reduce the overall height of the building Approximately two stories or residential units were removed from the siteplan which resulted in a reduction of the building s height from feet to under feet the memo reported The revised ODP Official Evolution Plan proposes a maximum building height of feet which aligns with the PC- maximum height requirement for buildings feet or greater to a lot line adjacent to a single-family zoning district The maximum impervious cover in the ODP was also reduced from percent to percent to align with PC- zoning regulations the memo noted The building height on the Ashford Center Parkway now appears as mostly four stories when it was previously close to seven stories the memo declared The reduction in building height is also now consistent with the allowable height for senior living facilities up to four stories in proposed zoning for the Ashford character area Dominium s revised site plan for its low-income senior housing project Provided by City of Dunwoody After Dunwoody Senior Planner Madalyn Smith described the Dominium changes with little discussion council member Tom Lambert made a motion to deny the application which was seconded by Rob Price and passed - The vote was met with a sustained round of applause from the or so attendees who have been a constant presence during the rezoning process from the application to the Dunwoody Homeowners Association to the planning commission to the city council Related stories Planning Commission recommends senior housing rezoning City council members express concerns about senior housing proposal Susan Mitchell who was part of a group opposing the plan explained she was gratified that the city council unanimously agreed with the citizens It s a tribute to the remarkable foresight of our city founders who recognized the need to balance upsurge with respect for the character of our neighborhoods Mitchell mentioned John Heneghan who has served on the council since its inception disclosed he voted against the proposal because of the level of impact on the group Council Member Rob Price announced even with the changes that Dominium made at the Sept meeting the proposal still didn t meet the hurdle It was too much for the part of the city where it is located Price declared I think senior housing is appropriate for the city but not where it was to be located The post Low-income senior housing project rejected by Dunwoody City Council appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta