I will do my best to summarize the discussion of the proposed development at Milledge Place from Community Board Meeting on April 9.  Toll Brothers were given 10 minutes to speak, then 10 minutes were given to those opposing the project to express concern.  After the 20 minutes concluded, the Community Board members asked questions of Toll Brothers and their design team.

I have attached a handout that Laurie Gaydos prepared for the meeting.  The information covered in the document was compiled by members of multiple local communities to represent our concerns.  We tried our best to represent the opinions of the local community.  The main topics we presented were:

1. Traffic on Biltmore Drive and connecting streets
2. Traffic at Briarcliff/Clifton/Biltmore
3. Environmental impact on the Milledge Place property and the wetland at Wesley Woods
4. Sewage capacity concerns
5. Aesthetic of the property and surrounding area
6. Rezoning summary presented by Toll Brothers is misleading

Toll Brothers presented the following regarding the proposed project at Milledge Place:

1. They would like to increase site density and are asking for a zoning change from R85 to HR2
2. Proposed 202 unit student housing (equal to 60 units per acre, the Atlantic is approx. 30 units per acre). They are advertising to students but they will lease to anyone so they do not discriminate
3. Briarcliff entry/exit moved further from intersection
4. Biltmore entry/exit is 500 ft from Clifton
5. Right in/right out only onto Briarcliff; left in/right out only on Biltmore (this will be enforced by a low median)
6. Up to 324 parking spaces. They predict this will add only 12 cars per hour in and out of the complex
7. Add right and left turning lane on Biltmore at Clifton intersection
8. This zoning requires three curb cuts for the proposed density, but they are proposing two curb cuts
9. Proposing ‘Don’t Block the Box’ at Biltmore/Clifton intersection
10. Improve street scape by removing existing overgrown vegetation and replacing with street trees
11. Site distance will be improved at Clifton/Biltmore because of the trees to be removed and the improved streetscape
12. Building footprint is smaller (they did not answer how much smaller), building moved further from street than originally proposed, but will have footprint and remain at 5 stories
13. Toll Brothers are under contract with all of the existing houses on Milledge. They will purchase and maintain control of these properties even if zoning change is denied.  They stated that they will be moving forward with the development.
14. Toll Brothers said they are having discussions with Emory
15. Toll Brothers stated that the sewer in this area has already been upgraded based on GA EPD standards and will meet the needs of the complex
16. They will catch stormwater and store underground until released at predetermined rate. Kimley Horn stated that their stormwater system will do a better job to take care of the runoff on the site.  It will clean the water better than the trees.
17. The board asked if any green space or considerations will be given back to the community. Toll Brothers stated that the building setback is ‘quite a ways’ from the street and ‘this is private space that will be “given back” to the community as green space.  This is in reference to the landscape strip between Biltmore Dr and the edge of the building.

The board unanimously denied the request for zoning change.

I did my best to take notes.  If I missed something or I misrepresented something, please let me know so that I can make additions/revisions.

The next two meetings concerning this project are scheduled for:

May 7^th. Dekalb’s Planning Commission

May 28^th, Board of Commissioners

If anyone is interested in helping to gather more information, create petitions, and put in hard work to help prepare for the next meetings, please let me know.