Decatur City Commission Takes Up College Ave Grocery Store Rezoning This Evening
Decatur Metro | November 19, 2012Update: See Commissioner Boykin’s comment below.
Tonight at 7:30p at Decatur City Hall, the Decatur City Commission will consider whether to rezone the parcel and allow some exceptions at 712 West College Avenue. The owners of the Candler Park Market are looking to build a satellite grocery store on the lot. (Here are the meeting materials in case you want to get down in the local, organic weeds.) Last week, the Planning Commission voted in favor of allowing the rezoning from residential to commercial, but voted 3-2 against allowing five exceptions to the project. More on that HERE.
However, Planning Commission votes are not binding (unlike the Zoning Board of Appeals votes that “do not come before this [the City Commission] board for approval”), they are a recommendation. Therefore expect a healthy debate among the commissioners on the issue this evening.
Everyone needs to come out to this meeting to voice their approval for this market. This is just another asset to this blighted area on West College Ave.
I just got an email from Planning Director Amanda Thompson that the developer intends to ask that this item be tabled until the December 17th meeting. The City Commission is about to undertake a review of recommendations from the Zoning Task Force – some concern suggested parking changes – that could affect this development.
In addition, neither Mayor Floyd nor Commissioner Cunningham will be at tonight’s meeting.
Fred Boykin
Decatur City Commission