A month after the redevelopment of the former Harry’s Farmers Market was vetoed by Marietta Mayor Thunder Tumlin, the City Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve a revised version of the plan.
By a 7-0 vote, the council voted to approve a mixed-use plan for nearly 20 acres on Powers Ferry Road at Roswell Road that features apartments, townhomes and retail space on the ground floors of those buildings.
The council voted 6-1 in November to approve plans for 28 townhomes and 236 apartments. But Tumlin—who has vetoed other apartment projects in the city recently, including at the former Kroger site on Delk Road—mixed the measure, saying the balance wasn’t right.
The developer, Westplan Investors of Atlanta, came back with a revised plan to increase the number of townhomes to 39 and keep the same number of apartment units, as well as increase the retail space to nearly 29,000 square feet from around 15,000 square feet
There was little discussion before the vote, and Tumlin didn’t pull out the veto pen.
Westplan touted the mixed-use project as a transformational one for a portion of East Marietta that has not been revitalized in more than 30 years.
Harry’s closed in the fall of 2017, just as Movie Studio Grill was set to open in the same retail center.
Brian Schultz, the theater owner, said at the November council meeting that “this property needs a spark.” He addressed also Tumlin’s reluctance.
“I’m literally imploring you to let us bring this community together. Please don’t stand in the way of progress.”
Westplan originally proposed 300 apartments, but changed those plans after several delays in public hearings.
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