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Brookhaven planning commission defers affordable-housing text amendment for 60 days
Summary
Staff outlined proposals to add a 60% AMI tier, allow multifamily by-right in targeted corridors and offer fee/tax incentives; commissioners asked for earlier distribution of revised text and deferred TA-2601 for 60 days to let staff refine criteria and wording.
Vice Chair Shireen Melixida and the Brookhaven Planning Commission on Wednesday deferred consideration of TA-2601, a zoning text amendment addressing affordable housing in the household living section, for 60 days to allow staff more time to finalize draft language.
Staff said the draft would incorporate a lower-area median income (AMI) tier—including 60% AMI alongside the existing 80% AMI target—and explore a tiered approach to incentives. "We really came to understand that the market rate for rental housing right now is at 80%," a staff member said, and added staff would "incorporate the 60 AMI as part of it." The staff briefing included affordability context: monthly rents that would be affordable at 60% AMI were described as roughly $700, while 80% AMI affordability was described as a little over $1,000 per month.
The draft discussed allowing multifamily development by right in targeted areas of the Buford Highway overlay if projects met specific affordable-housing and community-benefit criteria, together with incentives such as fee waivers, lower soft costs and tax incentives. Staff noted typical construction costs for new multifamily units are currently in the range of $150,000 to $200,000 per unit, and that developers have raised concerns about the financial feasibility of providing deeply affordable units.
Commissioners asked that staff circulate the redlined text as early as possible so they and the public have time to review it before the next hearing. Commissioner Kevin Court moved to defer consideration of TA-2601 for 60 days to allow staff additional time to develop the amendment; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote with all commissioners present voting in the affirmative.
The commission did not take public comment on TA-2601 at the meeting because the item was deferred. Staff told the commission they plan to return with a more detailed amendment addressing the AMI splits, by-right criteria and proposed incentives.
