Proposed Hampton Street Townhomes scheduled for a final public hearing

A rezoning request that was first presented in September 2018 may finally come to a close on Monday night over six months later. Smithton Homes, LLC of Marietta, GA is requesting a rezoning from R-85 (single family residential) to RTD (residential townhome district) for 8.92 acres located on Hampton Street aka state route 20 / 81. If approved, the project proposes to build seventy-one townhomes.

A public hearing about the request will be held on Monday, March 18, at 6 pm during the McDonough city council meeting. Afterwards, the council will vote to approve or deny the applicant’s request.

The applicant has requested a number of variances for the project. The full-length staff report is now available providing the recommendation of the city’s community development director for each request.

Variance 1 – To allow the development to utilize private streets in a gated development, rather than the public streets required by the zoning code.

Staff recommendation: Approval.

Variance 2 – To allow one car garages for each unit, rather than the two car garage required by the zoning code.

Staff recommendation: Denial. Staff instead recommends an alternate variance to allow one car garages on sixty percent of the units, with the remaining forty percent featuring two car garages.

Variance 3 – To reduce the front setback to seven feet to maximize open space, rather than the minimum front yard of twenty feet required by the zoning code.

Note: N/A per the granting of private streets in variance 1, “nullifies the existence of a standard, customary lot” in reference to setbacks along public roadways.

Variance 4 – To reduce the minimum heated square footage of each unit to 1,000 square feet for one bedroom and 1,200 sq. ft. for two bedrooms, rather than the 1,200 square feet for one bedroom and 1,300 sq. ft. for two bedrooms required by the zoning code.

Staff recommendation: Denial.

Variance 5 – To reduce the setback along Bridges Road to twenty feet, rather than the thirty foot setback from public right of way required by the zoning code.

Staff recommendation: Denial. Staff instead recommends an alternate variance to reduce the perimeter setback to twenty-five feet.

A second rezoning request in close proximity to the subject property will also be heard on Monday night. In that request, the Reservoir Group is requesting to modify zoning conditions on property located along Bridges Road to build apartments. Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting and comment about the proposed projects if they so choose.