Avondale Estates, GA — The Avondale Estates City Commission will meet on Wednesday, Aug. 24, at 5:30 p.m. for a public hearing and regular meeting. The city commission meeting will be held at Avondale Estates City Hall, 21 N. Avondale Plaza, and via Zoom.

During the meetings, the city commission will accept public comment and hold the first reading of an amendment to the zoning code to reduce the required street-side side yard setbacks for corner lots for properties zoned R-12 and R-24.

To join the meeting via Zoom, click here. To call in, dial +1-301-715-8592. The webinar ID is 862 6744 9392.

To view the meeting agenda, click here.

Public comments can be made either by attending the meeting in-person or through Zoom.

The city’s zoning code establishes a front yard and street side setback of 40 feet for properties zoned R-12 and R-24.

“The goal is to allow people to be able to do things on these properties – renovate them or expand them and hopefully not tear them down, but that some may be appropriate for a teardown, but to not prevent development, but try to make sure that development fits within the character of the city,” Mayor Pro Tem Brian Fisher said at the July 13 city commission meeting.

The city commission asked the staff to look at the impact of the dimensions on the development of corner lots with help from Lord Aeck Sargent. The study evaluated existing conditions of corner lots, the ability to build on lots with different street-side setbacks, and the typical widths of lots.

“There are 51 corner lots in the historic district,” the memo states. “The lots are long and narrow, and existing street-side setbacks are generally between 10-20 feet. The width of the front yard influences the appropriate street-side setback. Shorter street-side setbacks are warranted on properties with font yards that are 90 feet are less.”

In the amendment, the residential regulations for the corner lots are set based on if the width of the front yards are 90 feet or less, or greater than 90 feet. The city’s Planning, Architecture and Zoning Board recommended the frontage be reduced to 70 feet to help “further mitigate against tall and massive houses and discourage tear downs throughout the city,” a memo from the PAZB says.

There are about 50 corner lots that are zoned R-24 and the existing setbacks are typically larger.

“The allowable height in R-24 is 35’. As a result of the existing condition and allowable heights in R-24, larger street-side setbacks are warranted,” the memo from the city staff says. “For homes 28’ high or less, the proposed 20’ street-side setback is appropriate. For taller homes, a 25’ setback is recommended.”

Also on the agenda, the board will be given an update on the North Woods project. The board will additionally consider approving an amendment to the city’s tower lease with Crown Castle to allow Crown Castle to sublease 35 square feet to Dish Network at $500 per month, and including a $2,000 signing bonus.

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