Cobb County Tables Small Lot Single Family Plans Geared for Empty Nesters

Windstone Properties presented plans to Cobb County, which includes ninety-eight single-family lots in a subdivision located at 3190 Ellis Road near the City of Kennesaw.

The site is 37.3-acres in size and is currently zoned R-30. To proceed with the proposed 2.98 units/acre development, an initial request for rezoning the property to the RSL district was necessary because the use and density requirements in the current zoning district only allow densities of 2.5 units per acre for single-family homes.

After a significant amount of public testimony and discussion on the project, the Cobb County Commissioners tabled the rezoning request until February 2022 so that the applicant could provide the County with a revised plan which includes a maximum of fifty-eight single-family units and an R-20 rezoning request.

In preliminary findings that favor the approval of the rezoning request, the proposed smaller lot single-family homes are suitable and compatible with adjacent properties if the densities are closer to those neighborhoods surrounding the site.

County Planners further believed that the rezoning proposal would not adversely affect neighboring properties, be burdensome on existing infrastructure or schools. However, County Planners did conclude that the initial zoning proposal is not in conformity with the Cobb County Comprehensive Plan because the project is delineated within the Low-Density Residential (LDR) future land use category. The applicant’s original request of 2.98 units per acre exceeds the density of 2.5 as stated in the comprehensive plan.

According to the submitted application, the houses will be traditional craftsmen in style and will use a mix of brick, stacked stone, cedar shake, and cement siding. The homes will have a minimum square footage of 1,800 square feet.

Additionally, the plan has a community area that will include a garden, clubhouse, bocci ball court, and access to a pedestrian trail around the existing lake. According to the applicant, the project will be developed to transition empty nesters and/or other individuals specifically looking to improve their quality of life.