Mableton council approves rezoning for two‑unit duplex at 4470 Floyd Drive after trimming planning conditions

Mableton — The City Council voted Dec. 10 to approve REZ2025‑005, permitting a two‑unit duplex at 4470 Floyd Drive, after modifying planning commission stipulations. The applicant, Theodore Bullard, said he bought the lot in April 2022 and plans two homes totaling about 5,440 square feet (two units of roughly 2,720 sq ft each).

Bullard told the council he opposed three conditions recommended by planning staff and the planning commission: a requirement that HVAC units and trash receptacles be located behind and screened from public view; a prohibition on short‑term rentals; and a requirement to plant three canopy trees per unit. Neighbors from Concord Trails and Parktown raised concerns about compatibility with an established single‑family area, potential impacts on property values, and strain on local infrastructure and services.

Planning manager Chris Wheeler said the stipulations were standard practice intended to screen mechanical equipment and ensure on‑site canopy trees for residential developments; staff noted no Cobb County infrastructure objections in their review. After returning from a council attorney consultation, Council member TJ Ferguson moved to approve the rezoning but to omit the HVAC placement stipulation, strike the short‑term rental prohibition, and amend the tree requirement to require at least one canopy tree per unit. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The council then approved REZ2025‑005 with those amendments.

The decision followed testimony from the applicant that the duplex’s shared wall would be limited to a garage and that the proposal would provide smaller, potentially more affordable housing compared with nearby multifamily townhomes. Supporters at the hearing, including the Mableton Improvement Coalition's zoning committee, described the duplex as a transition use near higher‑density properties; opponents emphasized neighborhood character and infrastructure capacity.

Next steps: the applicant must meet the remaining stipulations that remain in the staff packet (other than the three amended items), and the city will incorporate the council’s revised conditions into the development agreement and permitting process. No vote tally by named member was recorded; the council approved the motion by voice vote.

The council paused this item briefly for an attorney consultation before returning to finalize the motion and vote.