Applicant withdraws request to open personal care home at 5284 Salem Springs Place after opposition and safety concerns

Lydia Nichols told the Stonecrest Planning Commission on July 1 that she was withdrawing her application to operate a Type II personal care home at 5284 Salem Springs Place, citing safety concerns after what she described as hostile reactions during neighborhood outreach.

Planning staff had recommended denial of the special land use permit (SLUP25-002). Staff noted the house was described in the application as a five-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath residence built in 1999 and that the majority of sleeping rooms are on the second floor. The applicant’s form requested a capacity of six residents. Staff told commissioners that, depending on how rooms are counted and including the proprietor/caregiver, the structure could potentially house up to nine or ten people, a figure staff said raised concerns about on-street parking, traffic and whether the interior layout would be safe and appropriate for seniors who may have mobility challenges.

At the hearing Nichols described what a personal care home does and said such homes are not medical facilities but provide help with activities of daily living. She also said she reviewed Department of Health rules and that the Health Department monitors licensed personal care homes; she cited a state guideline that describes bathroom and square-footage minimums per resident. Nichols told commissioners she had intended to move forward but that, after a neighborhood encounter she described as threatening, she would withdraw to protect safety: “I came here with the intention of officially withdrawing my application because it’s about safety, not only for me, but for my residents,” Nichols said.

Neighborhood speakers who opposed the permit included residents directly across and near the property. Several challenged the application details: Morris McFarlane (5289 Center Springs Place) said the house has three bedrooms rather than five as shown in some materials; other neighbors said the property currently is vacant and that no one resides there. Opponents reiterated concerns about lack of yard space, the house’s two-and-a-half-bath layout with most bedrooms upstairs, vehicular access and children waiting at nearby bus stops. Some speakers also worried about whether applicants for personal care services would be properly vetted and expressed general unease with commercial uses in an otherwise residential block.

Commissioners and planning staff noted the city has added annual inspection requirements for rental and similar uses as part of municipal code updates; staff also said licensing and inspections by the Georgia Department of Public Health would apply for a licensed personal care home. After discussion the commission accepted Nichols’ verbal withdrawal and then voted to accept the withdrawal without prejudice; the vote to accept the written withdrawal was unanimous.

Outcome: the applicant withdrew the special land use permit application without prejudice; the commission did not take action to approve or deny the SLUP on the merits. Planning staff noted the applicant may resubmit in the future and that state licensing and city inspection rules would apply to any subsequent application.