Indefinite Deferral for 315 W. Ponce As you have probably heard, the developers of the 315 W Ponce project have asked for "an indefinite deferral" of their project and are asking the Development Authority and Planning Commission "to convene a series of open meetings at which the project can be discussed and alternatives for addressing concerns can be considered." You may also recall that they asked for and received an indefinite deferral from the Zoning Board of Appeals at the August meeting. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? Well, it’s hard to say. It could mean that they really intend to substantively discuss the issues and solutions for this project. Or, it could mean this developer doesn’t want to move forward (and another will come). Or, it could mean any number of things! WHAT DOESN’T THIS MEAN? It doesn’t mean this is over. The site will be developed. Shared parking will remain a concept in play. By whom, when and how remain the issues on the table. WHAT NEXT? We’ll let you know as we hear from the City, the developer, or other relevant parties. We’ll leave this alert list open and active, and will disseminate info as it comes. WHAT CAN YOU DO? Please know that your letters helped A TON. In meetings, in hearings, the number of letters received was mentioned over and over again. Indeed, we may ask for more letters in the future. Our next moves, and the ways you can help, will largely be determined by the way this progresses. We’ll stay on it—and hope you will to. |
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Zoning Board of Appeals - RESULTS This morning at 2a, after over 5 hours of presentation and debate, Decatur’s Zoning Board of Appeals deferred the application of the developer of 315 W Ponce de Leon pending resolution of several critical issues and the gathering of additional information. The developer of 315 W Ponce is seeking a variance that would allow the property to be redeveloped with 125 spaces fewer than the number required for code. Official minutes for the meeting will be posted online by the City of Decatur, but board concerns included—the objectivity of the parking study, the lack of hardship proven by the developer, the limited data available on shared parking use in Decatur, the limitations of the code in regards to shared parking, the lack of information or clarity included in the developer’s application, the unresolved transition between R-60 residential and C-2 commercial zoning and the level of dissatisfaction expressed by neighbors about the process. It was suggested by the ZBA board, and supported by the developer’s lawyer, that the application be deferred until these issues could be resolved and more information provided. It is unclear at this time if the applicant will seek an additional hearing with the zoning board of appeals concerning its application. THE NEXT STOP FOR THIS PROJECT—is the consideration by the Planning Commission at a public meeting onThursday 4 September at 7:30 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room, Decatur City Hall, 509 N. McDonough St. The planning commission will be exploring all issues related to the project, including our core concerns of traffic, density, parking and preservation of neighborhood character. Thanks to all who attended—our concerns as a neighborhood were made clear. We’ll need to do the same on September 4th. See you then! |
Developer Files; Documents Available JLB, the developer of the 218 efficiency, 1-, and 2-bedroom apartments at Decatur Court, has filed with the City for special permission to build a residential development in the C-2 zone at 315 West Ponce de Leon Avenue. Documents related to this application are available on the 315 W Ponce page in the development section. Important DatesNow that the developer has filed, there will be a series of public discussions at City Hall to determine whether the or not the development can proceed. All residents are encouraged to attend and voice their opinions on this issue. All meetings are at 7:30pm in the City Hall Commission Room: August 7: Presentation of project to the Planning Commission- August 11: Consideration of variances by Zoning Board of Appeals
- September 4: Consideration by Planning Commission
- September 15: Consideration by City Commission
Summary of DDA Meeting PostedDevelopers Hudson Hooks of JLB Partners and Bob Day of Day Capital attended, and they had the project's architect, a representative from the traffic study firm, and a VP of JLB present the development to the Authority. Representatives from the neighborhood and from Hillyer place attended, as well as several city employees. Read more about it on the 315 W Ponce page. |
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Planning Commission DeferredThe developer, JLB Partners, has requested that their appearance before the Planning Commission be deferred until after the determination of the Zoning Board of Appeals with respect to their application for variance. This means that they will appear at the NEXT Planning Commission meeting in September. The calendar of events for 315 West Ponce has been updated and the letter requesting the deferral is posted in the development's files section. This means that the next CRITICAL meeting date for this project will be: August 11, 7:30pm - Zoning Board of Appeals (City Hall, 509 North McDonough) |
Store Launch, Some Updates, and Help Wanted
We have added a link to our online store hosted at Café Press (http://www.cafepress.com/decaturlg). The store has several items that can help us show our support for livable growth in Decatur. The store features men's and women's t-shirts, buttons, magnets, and even a yard sign. We have also updated the list of Decatur-related weblogs in the Around Town section of our site. There's a lot happening around our City and these blogs are a great asset to our community. If you haven't gone by for a visit, please take a moment to pop in and see what's happening. |
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