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Developer proposes five 'cottage' single‑family homes in Eagan Park; neighbors call for denial
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Summary
A developer asked East Point to rezone two Harrison Road parcels to allow five detached 'cottage' homes and a front‑setback variance. Neighbors raised repeated concerns about drainage, traffic, parking and neighborhood character; the applicant said site engineering and garages would mitigate impacts. The matter advances to May hearings.
Timothy Helms, a designer with Fuse Design Studio, asked the City of East Point on April 14 to rezone two parcels at 3380 and 3384 Harrison Road from R‑1A (urban residential) to R‑T (residential townhome) and to approve concurrent variances, including a front‑yard setback reduction on one lot.
Helms said the proposal would combine the two parcels and subdivide them into five detached, three‑story ‘cottage’ homes with basement garages that take advantage of grade changes. “We’ve kinda dubbed the development Eagan Park Cottage,” Helms said, adding the design aims to preserve the neighborhood’s look and provide smaller single‑family footprints to broaden local ownership options.
The rezoning request prompted sustained opposition from Eagan Park residents at the virtual community zoning information meeting. Chanel (last name on file) said the plan “represents a significant shift from the character and intent of our neighborhood,” citing increased density, traffic and parking pressure on narrow Harrison Road. Jessica Hemming, whose lot backs the parcels, told the meeting the slope and proposed placement “will directly affect us,” warning of increased stormwater runoff and reduced privacy.
Other neighbors raised related objections, including potential drainage impacts at the headwaters of the Flint River, construction disruption, and the risk of a precedent that could change the neighborhood’s fabric. Several speakers questioned whether the project would produce genuinely affordable housing, noting price estimates discussed at a prior neighborhood meeting.
Developers and supporters countered that the corridor already contains a range of housing scales and that the design includes garages and guest parking pads to reduce on‑street parking. Developer Arthur Baker said he plans a robust landscaping package, civil engineering for on‑site stormwater management, and surveillance and construction practices to limit neighborhood disruption. Designer Helms provided detail that each proposed lot would be about 3,758 square feet, each home’s building footprint is roughly 1,115 square feet, the total paved area proposed across the two properties is approximately 6,100 square feet, and the combined parcel area is roughly 18,790 square feet.
Planner Kimberly Smith told attendees that the applications will move through the standard schedule: a Planning & Zoning commission work session in May (May 14), the commission’s public hearing (May 21), a City Council work session on June 8 and a council public hearing on June 15 where final action would be taken on the rezoning and the use permit. Smith also confirmed staff had received a written letter from a community member (Jerry Davis) for the record.
The applicant and developer emphasized willingness to conduct traffic studies, engage a civil engineer for stormwater design and adjust plans during permitting. The Planning & Zoning file for case P2026RZ‑001‑03 and concurrent variance requests will include the applicant’s updated survey and the neighborhood letter for commissioners’ review.
The planning process remains at the public‑comment and pre‑hearing stage; no formal approvals were taken at the information meeting. Residents may submit written comments to zoning@eastpointcity.org or attend the May commission hearings to make their views part of the official record.
