City Government

Planning Commission Recommends Approval of Kane Studio Project Rosebud

By Laurie Searle - Photos by Chip Denton

The Chattahoochee Hills Planning Commission held a public hearing on May 11 followed by a review of the application, deliberation, and a unanimous vote to recommend approval of the Kane Studio Project Rosebud application. The meeting was offered in person at city hall and virtually via ZOOM. The ZOOM recording is available on the city’s website, along with the Planning Commission’s information packet: www.chatthillsga.us/government/planning_commission.php

Presentation Of The Application

Chatt Hills Community Development Director Mike Morton introduced the application.

Kane Studio requested a rezoning of 1606.18 acres from RL (Rural) to HM-MU (Mixed-Use Hamlet) to create a film production studio. The applicant has requested three variances and five Special Use Permits. The recommendation of staff is for approval. Staff comments are listed below.

Proposed Variances:

1. A variance from Section 6-3.C to reduce the minimum residential units required in the HM-MU District from .5 units per acre to zero and to increase the maximum allowable percentage of property devoted to non-residential units from 25% of the developable area to 100%.

[Staff] While staff would prefer they weren’t applying for this variance and were building a mixed-use district, they do technically meet the variance criteria. Staff understands that public sentiment and perhaps elected and appointed officials, is toward the elimination of the residential requirement. Recommend approval.

2. A variance from Section 5-6. G to increase the maximum open space which can be transferred offsite from 20% to 50%.

[Staff] This would result in more protected land out in the rural district and would also result in more land projected overall, because when you move preservation off-site, you have to increase the amount of land preserved overall to maintain the overall ratio of preservation to development. Recommend approval.

3. A variance to eliminate all of the requirements of Article XII regarding thoroughfares in those portions of the development to which public access is restricted. [Staff] In hamlets and villages, there are certain rules that apply for thoroughfares that are not intended to apply for a business-type campus. This variance makes it clear that the driveways will be built in back behind the security fence and they aren’t intended to serve a mixed-use community. Recommend approval.

Proposed Special Use Permits, as required in the HM-MU district:

1. Motion Picture or Sound Recording Facility, Large

2. Hotel

3. College, University, or Professional School

4. Event Center, Large

5. Recycling Center

[Staff] Recommends approval subject to the five pages of conditions included in the packet.

Public Hearing

Applicant: Carl Westmoreland, consultant for Project Rosebud, gave an update on the application since it was presented to the city council for a first read on May 2.

Clarifications: The Recycling center is for on-site use only; it is not a public recycling facility. The request for a height variance has been removed. The request for on-site residential has been removed. There are some residences on-site but they would only be used for people working on projects on the property and would not be for sale to the public.

Regional DRI Study: The application has undergone a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) review by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA). Their