Atlanta Film Animals has applied for a special-use permit to operate outdoor animal kennels on Hall Road in South Fulton, the company’s representative told the city’s Community Zoning Information Meeting on Dec. 1, 2025.

Abigail Van Horn, representing Atlanta Film Animals, said the property is about 50 acres and that the applicant would install seven kennels for animals used in film production. "There's a total of 7 kennels," Van Horn said during her presentation. She listed animals on the site that include monkeys, skunks, seagulls, doves, dogs, a pig, a goat, chickens, sheep, raccoons, a barn cat, a cockatoo and an owl, and said she would follow up if the applicant planned to add species not listed that evening.

The applicant noted a back barn that appears on the parcel line of one tract and asked the city to consider it grandfathered. Van Horn said ownership covers adjacent parcels and that "in the very worst-case scenario, we could combine the parcels and sort that out," adding she believed the barn "predated the eighties" but did not know the exact date.

City staff asked whether any structures are within 200 feet of the property line; Van Horn described the historic parcel splits and said they would address the matter through parcel consolidation or by documenting grandfathering if needed.

Meeting staff reiterated procedural requirements for applicants: a public-participation plan report is due Jan. 7 (the meeting record gives Jan. 7 but does not consistently state a year), Planning Commission and Mayor and City Council hearings were listed on the rezoning/special-use schedule (a Jan. 21 Planning Commission date was cited in the meeting but the record contains an inconsistent year reference; the Mayor and City Council public hearing was listed as Feb. 10, 2026). Staff reminded applicants that mailers must be reviewed by the city and sent at least 30 days before their public participation meeting and that meetings must be held in person within five miles of the subject property and within South Fulton city limits while also providing audio-visual or teleconference access to attendees.

No formal motion or vote was taken at the information meeting; the presentation concluded with staff and the applicant exchanging follow-up clarifications. The Planning Commission public hearing for the rezoning and special-use schedule will be the next formal opportunity for public comment; applicants should confirm the correct hearing year and dates with city staff as the meeting record contains an inconsistency on the Planning Commission hearing year.

Next steps: the applicant must submit required materials (letter of intent, any required site plans and the public participation plan report) and complete the mailer process for distribution and staff review at least 30 days before the public participation meeting. The city will schedule the formal Planning Commission public hearing for the rezoning/special-use application listed on the 2026 schedule.