Pepper Square rezoning draws major opposition from nearby homeowners; council declines deferral but no final zoning decision recorded in transcript

A proposed comprehensive redevelopment of Pepper Square, a shopping center at Preston Road and Belt Line, prompted one of the largest outpourings of public comment the council heard that day. The applicant sought a zoning change enabling a mixed‑use redevelopment that would replace existing retail with a combination of retail, open space and up to several hundred residential units; numbers cited during the meeting ranged in the proposals and the proponents’ materials.

Hundreds of residents attended and multiple neighborhood groups submitted surveys and petitions to the council. Dozens of speakers representing homeowners associations and long‑time residents told the council they oppose the current rezoning request. Their chief concerns included a proposed tower height in the 12‑story range, additional density that would add hundreds or more…