PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT

RZ-21-004
Planning Commission Aug 3, 2021

GENERAL INFORMATION

Petition Number: RZ-21-004

Applicant: Duke Realty Corporation

Owner: Tract 1: Steward Properties, Attn: Pete Siegenthaler

Tract 2: DSSA Properties, Attn: Sam Stewart

Project Location: Tract 1: 6378 E Glen Rd, Tract 2: 2975 Evans Mill Rd

City Council District: District 5 (Council Member Tammy Grimes)

Acreage: Approximately 31 acres, Tract 1 - 20.98 acres, Tract 2 – 10.05 acres

Existing Zoning: Stonecrest Area Overlay, Tier 4 (Transitional Mixed Use Zone), Base
zoning R-100 (Residential Med Lot) District

Proposed Zoning: OD (Office Distribution) District (see RZ-21-004)

Existing Comprehensive Plan

Character Area Designation: City Center

Proposed Comprehensive Plan

Character Area Designation: Light Industrial (See CP-21-001)
The applicant is requesting to rezone the subject property from
Proposed Development/Request: Stonecrest Overlay Tier 4, base zone R-100 (Residential Medium Lot-
100) to OD (Office/ Distribution) for the development of 329,280 sf
Distribution Center. The rezoning would remove the subject property
from the Stonecrest Overlay District.

Staff Recommendations: Denial

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Aerial Map

Zoning Map

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RZ-21-004
Zoning Overlay Map

Future Land Use Map

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PROJECT OVERVIEW
Location
The subject property is located at the intersection of Lithonia Industrial Boulevard and I-20, and includes two contiguous
parcels under separate ownership, with the addresses of 6378 East Glen Rd & 2975 Evans Mill Rd.
The subject property is undeveloped, and the recently constructed Lithonia Industrial Blvd bisects one of the parcels, 2975
Evans Mill Road. The proposed distribution center would be located on the east side of Lithonia Industrial Blvd. The
west side would remain undeveloped and abuts New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. The Church also owns the
property south of the subject property which currently is also undeveloped. To the east of the subject property is the
Village East Duplex Retirement Community and several single-family detached residential parcels. The properties to the
north of the subject property across I-20 are light industrial.

Existing Topographic Map of the subject property

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Background
This is the first rezoning request for the property, currently the property is undeveloped. The property has kept its original
DeKalb County zoning classification of R-100 (Medium Residential), but the property was added to the Stonecrest Area
Overlay which was last updated in November 2019. The property is governed by the Stonecrest Overlay District Tier 4.
The intent of Tier 4 is to encourage mixed use development in a well-planned community and encourage principally
office, residential and commercial uses to serve the convenience needs of the local community, see Section 3.5.15.1 of the
Stonecrest Area Overlay Ordinance, Ordinance 2019-11-001.
Tier 4 requires that all properties “which are proposed for new development shall comply with the minimum requirements
of this mixed use development category. Permits for repairs, interior alterations or tenant buildout improvements that do
not alter the exterior appearance or the building footprint of the structure shall be exempt from the requirements of this
division. Properties in Tier 4 shall contain a minimum of two (2) principal uses and any residential use shall not exceed
seventy (70) percent of the total floor area. The mixed use development may be combined vertically or horizontally in one
(1) or more buildings or may be provided -in separate buildings or areas within a mixed-use development. A minimum of
one residential and one non-residential use must be selected.”
Within the parameters of the mixed-use requirement, Tier 4 allows all uses authorized in the C-1 and C-2 (General
Commercial) District, O-I (Office Institutional) District, MU-4 (Mixed Use High Density) District, and HR-2 (High
Density Residential) District except those listed prohibited uses under Sub-section 3.5.15.1.D. which includes the
following:

1. Kennels.
2. Tire retreading and recapping.
3. Sexually oriented businesses.
4. Outdoor amusement services facilities.
5. Outdoor storage.
6. Frum equipment and supplies sales establishments.
7. Repair, small household appliance.
8. Hotel/motels.
9. Automobile title loan establishments.
10. Pawn shops
11. Liquor stores
12. Salvage yards.
13. Automobile repair and maintenance, major.
14. Automobile wash/wax service.
15. Nightclubs.
16. Late-night establishments.
17. Check cashing facility.
18. Automobile emission testing facilities.
19. Car wash, self-service.
20. Self-storage.
21. Funeral home.
22. Crematorium.
23. Mortuary.
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Despite this list of prohibited, the subject as zoned could be developed for a wide range uses all within the context of a
mixed-use development. Being in the Stonecrest Overlay, the property is currently subject to the Stonecrest Area Design
Guidelines. This rezoning if approved as requested would remove the subject property from the Stonecrest Overlay and
thus lift the application of the Design Guidelines. The City Council could however keep the subject property as part of
Tier 6, Viewshed, which would keep the requirements of the Design Guidelines in place.

Conceptual Site Plan

The proposed distribution center would have driveway access points on Lithonia Industrial Blvd, which has direct access
to I-20. No direct access to the adjacent properties to the south and east are proposed. A 75-foot vegetative buffer would
be maintained between the use and adjacent residential uses, as required in the Zoning Ordinance.

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RZ-21-004

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Public Participation

Duke Realty hosted the community meeting on March 31, 2021, at 6pm. The meeting was held virtually due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in-person restrictions. A full summary of the meeting will be attached with the staff report.

STANDARDS OF REZONING REVIEW

Section 7.3.5 of the Stonecrest Zoning Ordinance list eight factors to be considered in a technical review of a zoning case
completed by the Community Development Department and Planning Commission. Each element is listed with staff
analysis.

A. Whether the zoning proposal is in conformity with the policy and intent of the comprehensive plan.

The subject property is currently located within the City Center character area of the Stonecrest Comprehensive
Plan. The proposed zoning change and development of development would not be in keeping with the policy and
intent of the comprehensive plan. The applicant is requesting an amendment to the Future Land Use Map, CP-21-
001 to change the City Center designation to Light Industrial. If that amendment is approved, then the subject
property would be in conformity of the policies of the Comprehensive Plan.

B. Whether the zoning proposal will permit a use that is suitable in view of the use and development of
adjacent and nearby property or properties.

As shown in the table below, the subject property is surrounded by variety of non-industrial uses.

Adjacent & Density

Surrounding Zoning Land Use Non-Residential (SF/Acre)
(Petition Number)
Properties Residential (Units/Acre)

Applicant Proposed: OD Office Distribution n/a

Stonecrest Area Overlay, Tier

Adjacent: North 6 Viewshed, base zone M (Industrial) across I-20 n/a
(Light Industrial) District
Stonecrest Area Overlay, Tier
New Birth Missionary
Adjacent: West 4, base zone R-100 (Medium n/a
Baptist Church
Residential)
Stonecrest Area Overlay, Tier
Village East Duplex
Adjacent: East 4, base zone R-100 (Medium 3 units per acre
Retirement Community
Residential)
Stonecrest Area Overlay, Tier
Undeveloped to the south
4, base zone R-100 (Medium
and 0.5 units per acre to the
Nearby: South Residential) , and Just R-100
Residential Homes to the southeast
no overlay southeast of the
southeast
site

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RZ-21-004
The proposed change in zoning would not permit a use that would be suitable in view and development of the
nearby properties.

C. Whether the property to be affected by the zoning proposal has a reasonable economic use as currently
zoned.

The property is currently zoned under the provisions of the Stonecrest Area Overlay, Tier 4, which allows a wide
variety of uses within the context of a mixed-use development. The property does not have reasonable economic
use under the current zoning.

D. Whether the zoning proposal will adversely affect the existing use or usability of adjacent or nearby
property or properties.

The proposed distribution center would increase noise and have a negative impact on the existing residential uses,
or usability of adjacent or nearby properties. Staff believes that most of the traffic will be limited to Lithonia
Industrial Blvd and the I-20 interchange, but additional noise and air pollution caused by increased truck traffic
would likely impact nearby homes.

E. Whether there are other existing or changing conditions affecting the use and development of the property,
which gives supporting grounds for either approval or disapproval of the zoning proposal.

There are no existing or changing conditions affecting the use and development of the property.

F. Whether the zoning proposal will adversely affect historic buildings, sites, districts, or archaeological
resources.

There are currently no historic buildings, sites, districts, or archaeological resources on the subject property.

G. Whether the zoning proposal will result in a use that will or could cause excessive or burdensome use of
existing streets, transportation facilities, utilities, or schools.

Access to the property is via Lithonia Industrial Boulevard which is a collector road that staff believes would have
the traffic capacity to handle the volume of traffic generated by the zoning change and will not cause excessive or
burdensome use of the existing street or transportation.

H. Whether the zoning proposal adversely impacts the environment or surrounding natural resources.

The zoning proposal would create additional air pollution in the area due to additional truck traffic.

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STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends DENIAL of RZ-21-004. However, should the Commission choose to approve the request in whole,
staff recommends that approval be subject to the following conditions:

1. The use of the Subject Property for any other use beside the request use shall be strictly prohibited.
2. Future development of the site shall be in compliance with the general concept plan submitted with this rezoning
application prepared by Haines, Gipson & Associates, dated February 23, 2021.
3. Operations hours shall be limited to 7 am – 7 pm.
4. That the property remain within the Stonecrest Area Overlay, but as a part of Tier 6, Viewshed.

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 L WE
ENGINEERS

Lithonia Industrial - Warehouse Trip Generation

February 23, 2021
To Whom it May Concern,

This memo is a summary of the vehicle trip generation analysis for the driveway intersections of the proposed
industrial warehousing. Driveway 1 is proposed to be a full-access driveway and Driveway 2 is proposed to be a
right-in, right-out.

Project Description
A proposed development is planned to be located on Lithonia Industrial Blvd in the City of Stonecrest, GA. The
development consists of approximately 329,280 square foot (SF) of warehousing. The site location is shown in
Figure 1.

Figure 1: Site Aerial

990 Hammond Drive, Suite 900, Atlanta, Georgia 30328

Phone: 770.857.8400 I Fax: 770.857.8401 I loweengineers.com
 W B & I, L.L.C.
 
 
 HAROLD BUCKLEY, JR. 

 [email protected] 
DIRECT DIAL: (770) 803-3707 
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Dear ________________:

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
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




         

         



89399.1 121433-000001
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 
 
    


  
 

  

    




    


 
    
   


 
 
    
 
   
  
   



   
 
 
   

  
  
   
 




      
  
        
  

      
 

  
 
   
 



  


 

 
 


  
 

  

    


 
    
  

 

   
 

 

 
 
     

  
  

 



 


 
 
 
  

  
 

   
  



 
 


 

  

   
 



   


 

 
 



 
 

 

 

 



 



 



 




  




  





 
 
  






 



 


 

 
  




 
 















 

  

 
 


 
  

 
 

  









 







 
 
 

    
 

 
 
 
 

  
  
 


  
  

   

 
   
 
  
  
 
 
    

 


 
   

  
 
 
   

 
 

 
   
  





     

   

 


      
    
    
  
 
   
 

 
 
     
       
    
  


        
   
  




  
   

 
 
  


    

  
     
       
 






 
  


 
 


 




 
 
    


 







  
 
 
 
 
 



 PROPERTY DESCRIPTION

Being all that tract or parcel of land lying and being in the City of Stonecrest, within Land Lots 106
& 119, 16th District, DeKalb County, Georgia and being more particularly described as follows:

To find the Point of Beginning, commence at the intersection of the approximate centerline of
Evans Mill Road and the Northeasterly Right of Way Line of East Glen Road (an apparent 60 feet
wide right of way); thence, leaving said centerline and running with the said line of East Glen
Road, +/- 733 feet to a ½ inch rebar found at the True Point of Beginning of the herein described
tract or parcel of land, said point being at State Plane Coordinate (Georgia West Zone) of North:
1,345,423.27; East 2,308,608.70; thence, leaving the said Point of Beginning and continuing with
the said line of East Glen Road

1. 308.67 feet along the arc of a curve deflecting to the left, having a radius of 962.40
feet and a chord bearing and distance of North 80° 19' 32" West, 307.35 feet;
thence,
2. North 89° 30' 50" West, 88.19 feet to a ½ inch rebar found; thence,
3. North 89° 30' 50" West, 133.10 feet; thence,
4. North 89° 30' 50" West, 133.54 feet; thence,
5. South 00° 29' 10" West, 60.00 feet; thence, leaving the aforesaid line of East Glen
Road and running adjacent to the property now or formerly owned by New Birth
Missionary Baptist Church, Inc., as described in a deed recorded among the Land
Records of DeKalb County, Georgia in Deed Book 9684, Page 9
6. North 89° 30' 50" West, 150.00 feet; thence, running adjacent to the property now
or formerly owned by DSSA Properties, LLC, as described in a deed recorded
among the aforesaid Land Records in Deed Book 25272, Page 711
7. North 00° 25' 30" East, 60.00 feet; thence,
8. North 00° 25' 30" East, 1,064.01 feet; thence, running with the Southern Right of
Way Line of the East Bound On-Ramp of Interstate 20
9. 326.11 feet along the arc of a curve deflecting to the left, having a radius of
1,509.18 feet and a chord bearing and distance of North 86° 08' 58" East, 325.47
feet to a concrete right of way monument found; thence,
10. North 77° 54' 17" East, 355.47 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
11. South 77° 20' 02" East, 147.02 feet to a ½ inch rebar found (disturbed); thence,
leaving the aforesaid line of the Interstate 20 On-Ramp and running
12. South 00° 45' 50" West, 1,184.12 feet to the Point of Beginning, containing 914,039
square feet or 20.9834 acres of land, more or less.

Property is subject to all easements and rights of way recorded and unrecorded.
 PROPERTY DESCRIPTION

Being all that tract or parcel of land lying and being in the City of Stonecrest, within Land Lots 106
& 119, 16th District, DeKalb County, Georgia and being more particularly described as follows:

To find the Point of Beginning, commence at the intersection of the approximate centerline of
Evans Mill Road and the Northeasterly Right of Way Line of East Glen Road (an apparent 60 feet
wide right of way); thence, leaving said centerline and running with the said line of East Glen
Road, +/- 733 feet to a ½ inch rebar found, said point being at State Plane Coordinate (Georgia
West Zone) of North: 1,345,423.27; East 2,308,608.70; thence, leaving the said point and
continuing with the said line of East Glen Road, 308.67 feet along the arc of a curve deflecting to
the left, having a radius of 962.40 feet and a chord bearing and distance of North 80° 19' 32" West,
307.35 feet; thence, North 89° 30' 50" West, 88.19 feet to a ½ inch rebar found; thence, North 89°
30' 50" West, 133.10 feet; thence, North 89° 30' 50" West, 133.54 feet; thence, South 00° 29' 10"
West, 60.00 feet; thence, leaving the aforesaid line of East Glen Road and running adjacent to the
property now or formerly owned by New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Inc., as described in a
deed recorded among the Land Records of DeKalb County, Georgia in Deed Book 9684, Page 9,
North 89° 30' 50" West, 150.00 feet to the True Point of Beginning of the herein described tract or
parcel of land; thence, leaving the said Point of Beginning and continuing adjacent to the property
of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Inc.

1. North 89° 24' 27" West, 406.07 feet to a point on the East Right of Way Line of
Lithonia Industrial Boulevard (a variable width right of way), as created by Georgia
Department of Transportation Project No. CSSTP-0006-00 (889), and described in
a deed recorded among the aforesaid Land Records in Deed Book 25534, Page
560; thence, running with the said line of Lithonia Industrial Boulevard
2. North 01° 04' 04" East, 36.22 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
3. North 37° 29' 58" West, 60.86 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
4. 71.18 feet along the arc of a curve deflecting to the left, having a radius of 3,029.99
feet and a chord bearing and distance of North 09° 07' 32" East, 71.17 feet to a
concrete right of way monument found; thence,
5. South 81° 32' 50" East, 26.00 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
6. North 08° 15' 38" East, 20.51 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
7. North 60° 35' 08" West, 27.93 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
8. 133.24 feet along the arc of a curve deflecting to the left, having a radius of
3,029.99 feet and a chord bearing and distance of North 06° 36' 58" East, 133.23
feet to a concrete right of way monument found; thence,
9. North 05° 21' 23" East, 41.46 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
10. North 11° 04' 02" East, 50.25 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
11. North 05° 21' 23" East, 32.50 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
12. North 05° 57' 12" West, 25.50 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
 13. North 05° 21' 23" East, 74.00 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
14. South 84° 38' 37" East, 29.00 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
15. North 05° 21' 23" East, 33.00 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
16. North 84° 38' 37" West, 29.00 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
17. North 05° 21' 23" East, 93.00 feet to a concrete right of way monument found
(disturbed); thence,
18. North 07° 55' 47" East, 178.18 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
19. North 05° 21' 23" East, 162.00 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
20. North 15° 33' 38" East, 50.80 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
21. North 05° 21' 23" East, 73.00 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
22. North 49° 13' 59" East, 28.86 feet; thence, leaving the aforesaid line of Lithonia
Industrial Boulevard and running with the Southern Right of Way Line of the East
Bound On-Ramp of Interstate 20
23. South 85° 28' 45" East, 226.13 feet to a concrete right of way monument found;
thence,
24. 79.97 feet along the arc of a curve deflecting to the left, having a radius of 1,509.18
feet and a chord bearing and distance of South 86° 08' 32" East, 79.96 feet; thence,
leaving the aforesaid line of the Interstate 20 On-Ramp and running adjacent to the
property now or formerly owned by Stewart Properties, as described in a deed
recorded among the aforesaid Land Records in Deed Book 20307, Page 309
25. South 00° 25' 30" West, 1,064.01 feet; thence,
26. South 00° 25' 30" West, 60.00 feet to the Point of Beginning, containing 437,678
square feet or 10.0477 acres of land, more or less.

Property is subject to all easements and rights of way recorded and unrecorded.