Council approves home bakery permit, zoning variance and short-term rental text amendment

At its Sept. 15 meeting, the Kennesaw City Council approved several planning and zoning items forwarded by staff and the planning commission.

Planning staff presented a home-occupation land-use permit for 3409 English Oaks Drive submitted by Dahlia Akar; staff described the proposal as very low in commercial intensity, limited to the existing kitchen with no signage or visible evidence of a home business, and recommended approval with conditions (nontransferable permit, no more than one dedicated commercial vehicle and a 24-month permit term). The applicant said sales would take place at markets, with limited neighborhood pickups. Council approved the permit unanimously.

The council also approved a zoning variance for 2292 Bayswater Drive that would allow a 14-foot encroachment into the required 30-foot rear setback to reconstruct a smaller deck and balcony as a secondary egress. Planning staff noted the site’s constraints, a stop-work order issued March 3, 2025 for unpermitted work and the planning commission’s recommendation for approval. Council attached conditions limiting reconstruction to similar or smaller dimensions and prohibiting conversion of the deck into an enclosed room; the variance was approved unanimously.

Finally, the council adopted a text amendment to Appendix A of the Unified Development Code to formally incorporate newly adopted short-term rental provisions, including a formal definition and changes to permitted uses in residential zoning districts. The amendment had been advertised in advance and staff recommended approval; council approved the ordinance by unanimous vote.

What happens next: Each approval is subject to the conditions stated by staff and recorded in the minutes; any future modifications beyond the scope of the approvals (for example converting a deck into an enclosed room) will require additional review and separate approvals.