A 16-home environmentally-friendly subdivision proposed on rocky terrain in a Northeast Cobb neighborhood got a quick recommendation of denial Tuesday from the Cobb Planning Commission.
By a 3-0 vote, and with no discussion, the planning board voted against a proposal by Green Community Development, LLC to switch from R-20 zoning to OSC R-20 for 7.5-acre tract off Kinridge Court.
Planning commissioner Deborah Dance, who represents the area, was absent from the meeting.
The land is on a sloping ridge at 2077 and 2079 Kinridge Court, which includes a homesite and wooded, undeveloped land. Rezoning would increase the number of approved homes from 12 to 16.
The Open Space Community Designation would preserve some property for green space but has a density limit of 1.75 units per acre.
Green’s proposal would increase the density to 2.34 units per acre, prompting the Cobb Zoning Office to recommend denial.
A total of 15 residents from nearby subdivisions turned out in opposition, saying the development is too dense and presents public safety and stormwater issues.
Allen Smith, who lives across from the property on Kinridge Court, said a fire years ago at a home at 2077 Kinridge Court presented difficulties for responding fire crews.
A rezoning request in 2003 for four homes on the property was rejected in part to that and other factors, he told planning commissioners.
Christopher Hunt, the applicant, said in sometimes combative language that he’s been up-front with residents at several community meetings to discuss what’s being called Serenesee at Kinridge.
It proposes homes of at least 3,000 square feet made of four-sided brick, stone and/or hard coat stucco.
Hunt proclaimed that the project, with rooftop gardens, “greenpaved” parking and other sustainability and LEED features, would win awards.
He said he wasn’t invited to the first meeting and explained that the four additional homes are needed because of the expenses associated with building a “sustainable” community, and with the topographical challenges of the land.
Most of the preserved space is along the northern and southern boundaries of the property.
“The density shows that it’s R-20 on three sides and then R-15 on the largest face of the property,” Hunt said, referring to surrounding rezoning categories. “It’s super-expensive to develop there.”
Opposition also came from the East Cobb Civic Association. Case manager Chris Lindstrom was asked by Planning Commission Chairman Stephen Vault about her concerns with the case, and she responded by saying that everything about it, including the site plan, was vague and confusing.
There were no renderings of the proposed homes included in the application.
The proposal also would include an underground retention area under a private road in the subdivision that Cobb Stormwater Management said would be very difficult to manage.
“At some point it’s going to have to discharge,” Cobb stormwater engineer Carl Carver said.
He said a solution would have to be engineered to simulate the drainage “in a sheet-flow fashion. It’s going to be kind of difficult, but I won’t say that it can’t be done.”
The Planning Commission recommendation will be considered by the Cobb Board of Commissioners on July 19.
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