Subcommittee approves reclassifying Elizabeth and Willow as Downtown; broader map tweaks discussed

The Future Land Use Subcommittee on March 12, 2025, voted unanimously to reclassify the Elizabeth and Willow parcels as Downtown (DT), a change members said will be summarized for the Planning Commission. Committee member Prince led the motion and the committee recorded a 9-0 tally in favor.

The discussion surrounding the vote included several proposed adjustments across the draft future land-use map. Committee member KM proposed a new label for the Gaines School area — "corridor of significance" — as an alternative to a Mixed Density designation. Committee member MC argued the Gaines School stretch between Hilsman and Lexington may be better suited to a minor corridor designation, citing adjacent parcel patterns including Sunnyview, Springtree, Ponderosa, Cedar Pointe, Cedar Creek and Barrington.

Members and participants debated density and corridor typologies elsewhere on the map. Prince advocated for allowing more mixed-density residential uses down Oglethorpe, asking whether portions now shown as boulevard or chase/boulevard should transition to mixed-density to support diverse housing types. Other speakers suggested converting some government-use property on Pound Street to future uses that could include sale or adaptive reuse, while one participant urged preserving government-use consistency for certain civic parcels.

The subcommittee also reviewed corridor and parcel-specific suggestions: linking the Bottleworks area to downtown with traffic-calming measures; considering single-family or Neighborhood Residential options for the Boulevard and Hiawassee (Shirey parcel & GA Power) area; and converting areas near Kroger in Barnett Shoals to Minor Corridor rather than retaining previous classifications. Participants noted interior parcels along Easy/Park/Satula and the Race Trac parcel near Kroger as candidate changes.

The committee instructed staff to provide the Planning Commission with information about the Elizabeth and Willow reclassification and the broader discussion points raised during the meeting. No zoning changes were made at the meeting — the action was to change future land-use designations on the map, a policy guidance step that does not itself rezone property.

The subcommittee moved on to receive public comment following the vote and map discussion. The committee adjourned its consideration of these map items pending the Planning Commission review and any subsequent public hearings.