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Council approves New Life Academy special-use requests amid traffic and zoning objections
Summary
The Duluth Mayor and Council approved two special-use ordinances allowing New Life Academy to expand operations in River Green Industrial Park and continue use of modular units despite neighbor objections over zoning compatibility and traffic flow. A post-submittal traffic study was noted as underway.
DULUTH, Ga. — The Duluth Mayor and Council on May 8 approved two special-use ordinances to allow New Life Academy, a Gwinnett County charter language school, to operate and continue using modular units within the River Green Industrial Park.
City Manager James Riker and City Engineer Margie Pozin presented the special-use requests, noting the primary site for SU2023-003 covers approximately 3.73 acres in the M-1 (Light Industrial) district and that the city’s Future Land Use Map classifies the area for commercial, retail and office uses. The school’s projected enrollment for 2023–24 was presented as about 550 students in kindergarten through fifth grade and about 250 students in grades six through eight. Pozin described planned traffic mitigations, including a post-signal-timing-adjustment Traffic Impact Study and pavement markings such as “Don’t Block the Box,” and staff said they are exploring a dedicated right-turn lane where feasible.
Alfonza Foward Jr., founder and chief executive officer of New Life Academy, told the council a traffic study was requested and is underway. Nearby business owners raised concerns during public comment. Mark LeCraw said he doubted the current plan could accommodate the projected student population and urged a revised traffic plan and coordination with nearby schools to reduce queuing. Business owner Christian Olteanu argued the proposed public-school use conflicts with the M-1 zoning and with the FORWARD Duluth 2040 character guidance and warned the change could dilute the industrial park’s intended employment focus.
Councilmembers debated traffic and compatibility concerns but approved ordinance O2023-16 for SU2023-003 (motion by Councilmember Whitlock; second by Councilmember Thomas). The council also approved ordinance O2023-13 for SU2023-002, which allows the continued use of donated modular units at the academy’s facility; the applicant said the units—donated by Gwinnett County Schools—would not be used as classrooms and that removing them would be costly.
Why it matters: The approvals allow a public charter school to operate in an area planned for employment uses, drawing objections from neighboring businesses about traffic, land-use compatibility and lack of outdoor play space. Council members and staff emphasized traffic mitigation measures and a traffic impact analysis as part of the approval conditions.
The council vote: Both rezoning-related ordinances passed with Councilmembers Harkness, Thomas, Doss, Graeder and Whitlock voting in favor as recorded in the meeting minutes. No timeline for full campus build-out was specified in the record; the traffic study was described as pending.
What’s next: Staff and the applicant will complete the traffic study and pursue required site and design work; further permits or plan reviews will follow per normal land-development procedures.
