Smyrna council approves rezoning for 12‑story mixed‑use project at 2771 Cumberland Boulevard

The Smyrna Mayor and City Council voted unanimously to rezone 2771 Cumberland Boulevard from Tourist Services (TS) to Mixed Use Conditional (MU‑C) for a proposed redevelopment that would replace the existing Residence Inn with a mixed‑use complex including a 12‑story multifamily tower, an eight‑story hotel, and street‑level retail and restaurant space. The council’s approval followed a public hearing and a planning board recommendation to approve the rezoning 5‑0.

The rezoning matter matters because it authorizes increased residential density and height at a site the city’s comprehensive plan and the Spring Road LCI (Livable Centers Initiative) study identify for higher intensity development. Joey Saabs, Planner II with Community Development, told council the project would allow up to 328 multifamily units in a 12‑story building and up to 212 hotel rooms on a 4.66‑acre site and that staff supports five requested variances, including increases in permitted building height and residential density.

During the hearing, Kevin Moore, representing property owner PEG Smyrna Property LLC, reviewed the site plan and said the design places retail and restaurant space along Cumberland Boulevard and a shared plaza to connect hotel guests and residents. “We began working on this project many, many months ago … so that we could make sure that we were in tune with the sensitivities of the city,” Moore said. Tyler Phelps, director of development at PEG Companies, described the firm’s goal of creating a “vibrant, thoughtfully designed” development and said designers prioritized pedestrian connectivity and a widened 10‑foot sidewalk along Cumberland Boulevard.

Council members and staff pressed for details during the presentation and public Q&A. Questions raised included trash and service area locations, parking ratios and phasing. On trash, Phelps said the design proposes separate dumpster/compactor locations for the hotel and the multifamily uses and pointed to the service/loading area on the north side of the site; Councilmember Welch asked staff to ensure compactor areas are screened and enclosed. On parking, Saabs and applicants discussed an overall parking total of 675 spaces to be allocated between hotel and residential uses; Saabs noted multifamily parking assumptions are lower than typical 1.5 spaces per unit and may be closer to 1.25 per unit when combined with hotel parking.

The application requests five variances: increased side setback for the hotel building, allowance for rental units to exceed 15 percent of total residential units, increase in residential density from 25 units per acre to 70 units per acre, increase in building height from 66 feet to 150 feet, and reduction of the minimum front setback from 50 feet to 15 feet. Saabs said staff supports those variances and that the proposed land use fits the regional activity center designation in the city’s future land‑use map. The application also includes development standards and 32 conditions proposed by staff covering architecture, tree planting, utility screening, minimum average multifamily unit size (no less than 900 square feet), and required fire, water, sewer and traffic improvements to be paid by the developer.

The applicant described an expected project timeline but cautioned that detailed design and permitting will take time. Tyler Phelps estimated design could take “upwards of a year” and said hotel construction would likely be about 24–30 months with multifamily construction around 36 months if phases are staggered. He said PEG owns the land and will pursue equity and lending partnerships after city approvals; he also said brand discussions with major hotel flags are at an early stage.

Formal action followed the public hearing. Mr. Lilly moved that the council “do pass as presented,” a motion seconded by Mr. Welch; the council approved the rezoning unanimously. Planning staff and the applicant indicated that the design team will continue to refine details, with staff oversight on items such as trash enclosure and traffic improvements.

The city did not adopt any construction permits, development agreements, or financing commitments as part of this vote; the action approved the rezoning and related variances and attached staff conditions. The project will return to staff for technical review, permitting and any future development approvals required by city code.