USEFUL LINKS

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners has decided to pass on establishing a new zoning district being considered for Canton Road and, instead, consider adding new uses to a current zoning category sometime in March, 2010.

Cobb County Third District Commissioner Tim Lee, seen here at a recent town hall meeting, backed the NCS zoning category. Lee said though the new category will not be adopted by the county, new uses in the NAC district would accomplish what he had hoped for - more land use choices for commercial property owners that don't negatively impact neighborhoods.

A Neighborhood Compatible Services (NCS) district had been put together by the Cobb County Community Development Department after some property owners along Canton Road had complained about how changes in the county's Comprehensive Land Use Map limited their ability to develop or sell properties on the road.The Land Use changes took place in 2005 when a Canton Road Redevelopment Plan was established. Many properties that had been designated as lying in a Community Activity Center (CAC) on the Comprehensive Land Use Map were changed to Neighborhood Activity Centers (NAC), which left the current General Commercial (GC) zoning on sites useless if a rezoning was needed. The changes helped serve as a way to bring unsightly properties in for rezoning required under the new NAC designation on the county's Comprehensive Land Use Map. It has led to an improved look on the corridor but left some owners saying they felt frustrated trying to lease or sell properties.

The NCS district was designed by the county, using ideas from a committee comprised of property owners and homeowners along Canton Road. Uses in the proposed NCS district expanded uses currently available to property owners on their properties. Problems arose with acceptance of the district when the East Cobb Civic Association opposed county-wide use of the NCS, along with other groups. When the proposal came in to limit the zoning district to redevelopment corridors such as Canton Road and Veterans Memorial Highway, opposition mounted to the proposal.

At a Feb. 23, 2010, Board of Commissioners meeting, Chairman Sam Olens made the motion to deny the NCS and simply consider including more uses in a Neighborhood Retail Commercial (NRC) district already in use in the county.

"It's abundantly clear the NCS district has not kept pace for what is in demand in neighborhood areas," said Olens. "The uses on the properties were not objectionable, but the areas were. The work previously done (in creating the NCS) was helpful, but we can simply take the best part of what has been offered and put it in the NRC."

The commissioners voted 5-0 on the motion, which included holding two public hearings in March before deciding to put the new uses in the NRC category.

Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairman Sam Olens made the Feb. 23 motion not to adopt the NCS district. Olens said adding new uses to an existing zoning category accomplishes the same goal the NCS would. Commissioners supported the motion 5-0.

Those uses include what could be perceived as "neighborhood friendly" businesses, such as a veterinarian's office or office supply store.

Cobb County Third District Commissioner Tim Lee had wanted to see the NCS go through, but he said adding the uses to NRC would still accomplish what is needed for the Canton Road Corridor.

"Adding the uses to NRC still accomplishes what we wanted to do from the start," Lee said. "That is to provide the property owners along Canton Road in NACs more ability with their properties without adversely impacting neighborhoods. The bottom line is trying to improve the community."

Carol Brown, of the Canton Road Neighbors, told commissioners she was not as much against the ordinance as she was limiting it to certain areas.

"This (NCS) is not a bad ordinance," said Brown, who sat on the committee that presented ideas to the county about uses along Canton Road. "What has made it egregious is it is only named for certain corridors. That sets a bad precedent and is puzzling."