The Mayor & Aldermen approved this request at the March 14, 2019 City Council Regular Meeting.  The action being considered now is the approval of an ordinance for the rezoning of 2026 Habersham Street et al to the TC-1 Zoning District.

Jay Maupin, Petitioner for Heath Shelton (File No. 19-000413-ZA), is requesting approval to rezone properties located at 2026 Habersham Street from TN-2 (Traditional Neighborhood 2) to TC-1 (Traditional Commercial 1).

The subject properties consist of 6 contiguous parcels, comprising approximately 0.66 acres in the triangular area bounded by Habersham Street and a railroad line to construct a new multifamily residential project.  The southernmost portion of this area (2026 Habersham Street) is occupied by a dilapidated two-story structure which is not believed to be contributing.  The rest of the properties are vacant and undeveloped.  Parcels -015 and -017 at the southern end of the site are located entirely within the TC-1 Zoning District.  Parcels -014 and -013 are split-zoned between TN-2 and TC-1, but since most of the area of both these parcels falls within the TC-1 Zoning District, they would be considered zoned TC-1 per section 8-3023(d).  The remaining parcels, -011, and -016, are the primary focus of this zoning request, though -014 and -013 are included for sake of completeness.

The petitioner is seeking to recombine the parcels into a single building site and understandably desires a consistent zoning district throughout.  Development standards are generally similar between the existing and proposed districts, through TC-1 does permit somewhat greater residential density.  While there are multifamily residential buildings immediately north of the subject properties, the proximity of commercial and residential districts is common in the historic Mid-City area.

Both TN-2 and TC-1 are mixed-use districts within the Mid-City ordinance.  Since the subject properties are surrounded by commercial and institutional uses, the proposed rezoning is compatible with its broader context.  The southern portion of the site is already zoned TC-1; granting this rezoning would simply expand this designation northward to the balance of a triangular site.  Since the existing TN-2 district comprises corner lots, a wide variety of commercial uses is already permitted.  Many of the new uses introduced by the TC-1 district are subject to additional special use approval by the ZBA.

On February 19, 2019, the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the petition to rezone the subject properties from TN-2 to TC-1.

Approval