Alpharetta Planning Commission Rejects Townhome Development

A 141-townhome development at the corner of Morris Road and Webb Bridge Road was rejected by the Alpharetta Planning Commission at their March 7 meeting.

Greenstone Properties wanted the property rezoned from Office & Industrial (O&I) to a Conditional Use Permit, but planning commissioners said the developer didn't show a compelling reason to change the city's Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

The only thing that exists now on the property is a large storm water detention, and that would be preserved, said Deputy Director of Community Development Kathi Cook. There are a lot of specimen trees on the property, but the plan shows an older tree survey. Some of those trees don't exist because of some roadway work. Staff said in a report that other specimen trees should remain and be incorporated into the site plan, Cook said.

The developer called Lifetime Fitness, which is on a nearby property off North Point Parkway, an amenity for the townhome development. But planning commissioners didn't accept that.

"You are offering Lifetime Fitness as an amenity. Are you giving them a trial membership or a full membership?" asked Planning Commissioner Nancy Bristol.

Steve Rowe of AEC, representing the developer, said they hadn't reached that level of detail yet. But they feel it's an amenity whether residents use it or not.

"So it's really not your amenity. You are just close to it," Bristol said.

Rowe also said the property is a half mile from the Avalon development. That's a 10-minute walk or 3-minute bike ride. Lifetime Fitness is a 5-minute walk or 1-minute bike ride, he said.

Cook said while Lifetime Fitness was an easy walk with sidewalks along the route to the center, any destination across Webb Bridge Road was not very accessible, as sidewalks were not completed along the way.

Planning Commissioner Nancy Bristol said she would never cross the bridge over GA 400 on Webb Bridge as the sidewalk is narrow and dangerous with traffic.

"I don't see any significant reason for changing the comprehensive land use plan for zoning in this particular case," said Bristol.

She said she didn't feel Lifetime Fitness was an amenity for the property. And it wasn't accessible to stores and services across Webb Bridge Road and definitely not across the bridge over GA 400. "I wouldn't walk across the bridge if my life depended on it," she said.

Both Creek View Elementary and Webb Bridge Middle schools are over capacity, which also lost her support for the development.

Planning Commissioner Karen Richard agreed with Bristol.

"I didn't hear anything in the application that gave me any reason to not concur with staff's recommendations, Richard said.

Commissioners Rob Partee and Kyle Caswell voiced their agreement with fellow commissioners before the unanimous vote to recommend against the rezoning.

Alpharetta City Council will hear the application on March 25.