Planning Commission recommends approval for Adair Park Johnson and Adair Park West with conditions; density, height and railroad crossing remain unresolved

The Woodstock Planning Commission on June 5 recommended approval of two related development applications for the Adair Park campus — CUP 87-24 (8104 Main Street, “Adair Park Johnson”) and CUP 86-?? (216–218 Rope Mill Road, “Adair Park West”) — subject to a long list of conditions. Commissioners did not approve requested density variances or a zoning map change tonight and debated whether the northward expansion of downtown Central Business District (CBD) zoning would be appropriate.

Staff presentation and analysis Tracy Albers of the Community Development Department presented a consolidated staff analysis for the two cases and described a complex, phased mixed-use proposal. Key elements for the Johnson site include a 4–5 story mixed-use building with about 56 condominium units (36 one-bedroom, 18 two-bedroom, and 2 three-bedroom units by the applicant’s plan), 22 townhomes tucked behind the mixed-use building, and roughly 32,000 square feet of office, almost 18,000 square feet of retail and about 13,000 square feet for a rooftop restaurant. The project also proposes a multi-level parking deck (staff referenced 341 required parking spaces; the applicant cited a 428-space deck in its iteration). The West site proposes about 30 attached townhomes, with four accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and associated dog park and stormwater areas; the West site would be accessed from Rope Mill Road and potentially by a road connection across the railroad tracks to the Johnson site.

Staff told the commission that both sites are currently zoned DTRO (Downtown Residential Office) and are designated Urban Village in the comprehensive plan. Under DTRO, residential density is 8 dwelling units per acre; the Johnson parcel (about 4.15 acres) is allowed 33 units by-right. The applicant’s current Johnson proposal would total 78 units on that parcel (56 condos + 22 townhomes), bringing the Adair Park campus total to 104 units. West’s gross acreage (about 3.2 acres) allows 25 units by-right; the applicant proposed 30 on the West parcels. Staff said they do not believe they can lawfully recommend approval of density variances where an appropriate rezoning vehicle (Downtown Central Business District, DTCBD) exists that would provide an established path to increase density and height. Staff therefore recommended approval of entitlements consistent with underlying DTRO zoning (33 units for Johnson, 25 for West) and prepared 36 conditions of approval covering timing, parking and infrastructure, grocery size and tenant requirements, architectural review, tree and landscape plans, and multimodal connections. Staff also presented a conceptual Kimley Horn roadway plan that showed a possible B-street–standard crossing of the railroad that would better accommodate school pick-up/drop-off and create a grid connection to Woodstock Elementary; the plan would require further coordination with Patriot Rail, Cherokee County School District, public works, and potential funding/agreements.

Applicant presentation and positions Developer Eric Richards (Adair Park owner/developer) presented the project and said the central aims are to bring a grocery retailer to downtown Woodstock, provide office and rooftop restaurant uses, and create a parking deck to serve downtown events. Richards said the design evolved to accommodate a possible roadway crossing and that the city’s acquisition of a parcel at 218 Rope Mill was intended to make the crossing feasible. The developer’s most recent buildout numbers differed from staff’s: Richards said the parking deck had roughly 428 spaces in the applicant’s iteration and described a pro forma that reflects deliverable retail and office, but he acknowledged grocery tenants often require a particular density proximity to support operations. Richards said the developer’s current “ask” for a developer agreement was about $9.4 million to construct the roadway connection and related crossing infrastructure; in exchange the city would convey the remnant parcel it owns at Rope Mill to the developer and the parties would negotiate responsibilities for construction and funding. Richards said Adair Park West could be started sooner and would help the developer proceed while the larger Johnson site (with more entitlements and potential rezoning) is resolved.

Public comment Two members of the public spoke. Gopi Govindraj (163 Riverside Lane) urged the commission to consider inclusionary zoning to set aside some units for working families, to protect trees, and to make sure infrastructure keeps pace with growth. Renita Gibson (512 Quarter Lane), representing herself and a four-house homeowners association, said she supports the proposed townhomes at Adair Park West but opposed a broad rezoning of Rote Mill Road parcels to downtown commercial because of the street’s single-family character, school, and nearby church; she asked that a maximum buildout timeline be set (the applicant later said he could target three years for the West site).

Commission discussion and votes Commissioners debated multiple related issues: whether to recommend rezoning to DTCBD (which would allow higher density and greater heights via built-in bonuses), whether density variances are legally appropriate when a rezoning path exists, the feasibility and timing for a railroad crossing (Patriot Rail has expressed interest in further discussion but asked for a holistic, corridor-level review of multiple potential crossings), traffic and parking effects, and the level of detail staff should require before a council decision.

A motion by Commissioner Roth to approve both cases and recommend rezoning (reserving DTCBD on the Johnson parcel and on adjoining Adair Park parcels) while also conditioning that the West parcel not allow any buildings to be brought to grade until an established vehicular crossing over the railroad was in place failed on a 4–2 vote.

A subsequent motion to approve both CUPs in accordance with staff recommendations (i.e., approvals consistent with the underlying DTRO zoning envelope, with the listed 36 working conditions and without staff endorsing density variances) passed 4–2. The passed recommendation will move to City Council, which holds final authority for any rezoning, density variances, or developer agreement terms.

Why it matters: The Adair Park applications would add mixed-use commercial and residential density in North Downtown Woodstock and include a proposed grocery tenant and parking deck that could reshape traffic and parking patterns downtown. The applications also tied into a larger planning question for the city: whether and how to extend central-business zoning and denser, multi-story development northward toward the roundabout — a policy choice that the commission declined to make tonight and deferred to City Council and further legal/technical review.

Next steps: The Planning Commission’s recommendation and the conditions of approval will be forwarded to Woodstock City Council. Staff, the developer and outside consultants (traffic and engineering) will continue coordinating with Patriot Rail and the school district on the potential crossing and with the city attorney on the appropriate legal vehicle for density/height increases (rezoning versus variance).