City Planning Director Rejects Glenwood Project Proposal — Again

City planning officials have for the second time rejected a Buckhead developer's requests for variances to build a shopping center in Grant Park.

Fuqua Development LLC changed its plans slightly in response to the city's Nov. 20, 2012 rejection, which stated that the original submission for a special administrative permit was not in compliance with the development guidelines established by the BeltLine Overlay Zoning District and the Connect Atlanta Transportation Plan.

Fuqua's original plans for the Glenwood Place project, called for 199,050 square feet of retail on a 20-acre tract at 800 Glenwood Ave.

In the company's most recent submission, the retail footprint shrunk slightly to 197,590 square feet. The number of parking spaces also increased from 1,088 to 1,201.

Fuqua seeks two variances:

• Relief from the BeltLine Overlay Master Plan's street grid requirements, because without it, the company said it couldn't build a 155,000-square-foot, big-box structure that was part of the project.
• Relief from Master Plan's streetscape requirements for the Kalb Street extension from the Arts Exchange parking area to Glenwood Avenue because the street is too narrow to incorporate them.

Despite the changes in retail footprint and the parking spaces, among others, Atlanta Planning and Community Development Director Charletta Wilson Jacks wrote the plans remain in non-compliance with the development guidelines.

"Staff finds and concludes that the SAP application does not meet the requirements of the applicable zoning districts," wrote in her Feb. 1, five-page letter.

"We look forward to receiving plans that are in accordance with the requirements."

The company can resubmit a third time, but it's not immediately clear if it will.

Fuqua Development's principal, Jeffrey S. Fuqua, did not immediately return a telephone call Monday seeking comment.

The city's rejection comes as Neighborhood Planning Unit-W's submitted its own response to this latest proposal in which it asked planning officials to deny the variance requests citing it was not in compliance with established guidelines.

NPU-W also noted that the city has never granted a street grid variance.

SEE ALSO:

• NPU-W Says Revised Glenwood Place Project Still Lacking
• NPU-W to File Response on Glenwood Place Project Today
• NPU-W Wants Traffic Study Requirement in Certain Development Projects
• City Planning Director Finds Problems with Glenwood Place Project
• Glenwood Place Development: Where it Stands Now
• Southeast Atlanta Rallies for "Smart" Development
• Rally Planned to Oppose Glenwood Place Project
• NPU-W Opposes Glenwood Place Development
• East Atlanta Resident Starts Online Letter Campaign Against Glenwood Place
• NPUs Give Their Support in Opposition to Glenwood Place Project
• Major Retail Planned at Glenwood
• Online Petition To Stop Glenwood Place Project in Grant Park