Rezoning the Murphy Triangle on the Beltline Corridor to I-1 Light Industrial Use

• Posted on Paul Benson
• in Uncategorized
• on May 11, 2012
• No Comments.

Summary

Councilmember Joyce Sheperd and Cleta Winslow (in collaboration with the City of Atlanta Office of Planning) are proposing an ordinance to rezone the Murphy Triangle area in the Capitol View neighborhood from I-2 (heavy industrial) to I-1 (light industrial).

The Murphy Triangle area proposed to be rezoned from I-2 (heavy industrial) to I-1 (light industrial)

What does this mean for the Capitol View neighborhood?

The ultimate goal of this ordinance is to change the existing I-2 (heavy industrial) zoning to I-1 (light industrial) zoning.  This ordinance would do the following:

1. The current uses allowed under I-2 zoning, like salvage yards and junk yards, would not be allowed to start new operations under the new I-1 zoning.  All currently operating I-2, heavy industrial businesses would be grandfathered in, but they could not expand their operations.  Parcels not currently in use will not be able to obtain a SUP for heavy industrial uses e.g. salvage/junk yards, waste facilities, etc. (FYI: An ordinance passed in March 2011 already put a moratorium on such starting such operations and was recently extended in order to protect this area while more permanent zoning was put in place.  See the ordinance extension here: http://citycouncil.atlantaga.gov/2012/images/proposed/12O0350.pdf),
2. It would allow for adaptive re-use of various buildings such as loft conversion of historical buildings, which is currently not allowed under I-2, and
3. It would allow more responsible light industrial businesses that serve the community and provide much needed jobs and services, like glass shops, upholstery shops, etc. can continue to operate and expand if they want to.

In order for the rezoning from I-2 (heavy industrial) to I-1(light industrial) to happen, the following steps must be taken:

1. The City of Atlanta must first amend the Land Use Element of the 2011 Atlanta Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) so as to re-designate property that is located in the Murphy Triangle Industrial District from the Mixed Use and Low Density Commercial Land Use Designations to the Industrial Land Use Designation; and for other purposes.  See a copy of the draft ordinance here http://citycouncil.atlantaga.gov/2012/images/proposed/12O0349.pdf (This seems counter-intuitive, but it is the “land use designation” in the CDP, not the actual zoning). The Land Use Ordinance was up for review, comment, and vote by NPU-X on at the May 14th meeting. See the agenda here http://www.atlantaga.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=2472. NPU-X voted in favor of this ordinance to change the land use.
2. Next the rezoning ordinance must be approved.  Below is an excerpt from the ordinance that summarizes the zoning change mentioned above:

SECTION 1. That the Atlanta Zoning Ordinance, as amended, be further amended, and the Official Zoning Map established in connection therewith, be changed so that properties identified in the attached Exhibit ‘A’, located, generally in the Murphy Triangle Industrial District, be changed from the I-2/BL (Heavy Industrial/BeltLine Overlay) Zoning Districts to the I-1/BL (Light Industrial/BeltLine Overlay) Zoning District, to wit:

ALL THE TRACTS or parcels of land lying and being in Land Lots 105, 106, 119, and 120 of the 14th District, Fulton County, Georgia being more particularly described in Exhibit ‘A.’

Here is a link to the rezoning ordinance http://citycouncil.atlantaga.gov/2012/images/proposed/12O0351.pdf This rezoning ordinance will come before NPU-X in June  2012 before going to City Council.