Questions about density and a traffic study for the proposed 400-unit residential development on Grady Avenue resulted in the agenda item being tabled at the June 25 meeting of the Fayetteville Planning and Zoning Commission.
Knotty Pine, an upscale residential development and described as “something Fayetteville has never seen” is being proposed for 38 acres on Grady Avenue that is expected to line up with the arrival of the Pinewood Atlanta Studios development on the city’s northwest side.
Proposed residential units include 33 one- and two-story cottages, 67 townhouse units contained in three-story buildings and 300 apartments, also located in three-story buildings, according to plans submitted to the city. Along with the residences, the 38-acre development includes 7.6 acres of open space.
Planning commissioners and a number of nearby residents expressed concerns over a traffic study that was based on historical data supplied by the Ga. Dept. of Transportation even though project representative Spurgeon Richardson said the study showed that traffic at build-out would be under capacity for Grady Avenue and the nearby intersection with Ga. Highway 54.
Questions about density and the schedule for construction also arose at the meeting, though Richardson noted that the various apartment buildings would be built in phases. The residential single-family and townhouse component (Phase 2) will begin pre-selling homes within a reasonable time period after final zoning. Development of Phase 2 will begin upon receipt of a reasonable number of pre-sales. Once permitted, the development of Phase 2 is expected to take approximately 10-12 months. Normal sales velocity should be 30-40 units annually, according to the development plans.
Also at the meeting, commissioners explored a part of the proposal that might have the northeast portion of the development connecting to Hwy. 54, though plans for such a connection are not yet in place, Richardson said.
The aim of the Grady Avenue development is to create a unique multi-family and neighborhood environment that will provide “a sense of place within the community and sensitive to its environmental surroundings, encouraging a more creative approach to the development of the property. The result will be a more efficient, aesthetic and desirable balance of flexibility in design, placement of buildings, use of open areas, pedestrian-friendly oriented circulation, parking areas and utilization of the sites special features of geography, topography, size and/or shape to their best potentials creating an environmentally sustainable design,” the development plan said.
The tabled item will come back to planning commissioners in July.
Knotty Pine, LLC officers include Jan Trammell, Thomas Chandler and Ronnie Johnson.
Architectural renderings were provided by Peachtree City-based Historical Concepts.
The property was initially rezoned in 2006 for 68 single-family homes, then in 2008 it was rezoned to accommodate older adults. But the Great Recession took its toll on Fayetteville and Fayette County and the property remained undeveloped.
