From Dirk Botterbusch, managing partner of the Candler Park Market…

To all of our wonderful customers in the Oakhurst community:

We are disappointed that we will not be able to open another Candler Park Market style grocery store at the College & Mead location.  We are actively looking for alternative locations in your neighborhood to become a part of the Oakhurst community.

Although we were extremely excited about the prospect of bringing the Candler Park Market concept to Oakhurst, we have been unable to reach economic terms with the current property developers to make the project financially feasible.

We truly appreciate all of the well wishes from the Oakhurst community.  The palpable enthusiasm we felt from the neighborhood was not only humbling, but also inspirational.  We look forward to being a part of your community in the near future.

Thank you very much for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you at the Candler Park Market!

Totally lost in the hubbub of the annexation approval this past Monday night, the City Commission approved the rezoning of the residential lot at 712 West College Avenue to commercial to accommodate a planned grocery run by the Candler Park Market.

With the Zoning Ordinance Task Force’s changes to the city’s zoning ordinances approved by the City Commission in early December, the developers of the Market no longer need five exceptions,  which was the main point of contention when this plan was voted on by the Planning Commission last month. The only variance approved on Monday was an additional curb cut along College Avenue.  The new plan will have 10 more spaces than is necessary under the new parking ordinance (29 instead of 19).  The building will be 5,900 square feet, the same exact size as the existing Candler Park Market in, well, Candler Park, and the building is now sited along College Ave with parking at the rear (see above).

In case everyone who read the previous post didn’t see it, Commissioner Fred Boykin commented a short time ago…

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.

Update: 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.

Many of you expressed an interest in being reminded when this agenda item, which was tabled at the last Planning Commission meeting, was brought up again.  So here you go.  Tonight at 7:00pm at Decatur City Hall, the Planning Commission will take up the proposed rezoning of 712 West College Avenue from residential to commercial.  The developer’s stated plan is to build a retail grocery store, run by the current owners of the the Candler Park Market.

Included in the meeting materials for tonight’s meeting is a new staff report by City Planning Director Amanda Thompson, which goes into great detail about the rezoning request, the C-1 and R-60 allowable uses, the standards which must be considered when rezoning is requested, a comparison of standards between R-60 and C-1, parking, and so on.

So brush up on your zoning-speak and then head over to City Hall and give your nay or yay opinion!