Sharp
Residential has proposed the development of 31 homes on 21.885 acres of
land on the south side of Mayfield Road directly across from Bates
Road, which is referred to as the Johnson Tract. This is part of the
overall plan to develop 108 homes on Bates Road and Mayfield Road. The
second part of this development plan (77 homes on 56.664 acres making up
the Burgess Property – which is located on the north and south sides of
Bates Road).
The homeowners of Alpharetta along Mayfield and the surrounding area strongly oppose
the proposed rezoning based on the rezoning request not meeting the
standards set forth in the City’s Unified Development Code.
We ask the City Council to deny the
request by Sharp Residential to rezone the subject properties to R-15
and cite points from the approved City of Alpharetta 2030 Comprehensive
Plan and Unified Development Code in support of our request. The most
significantconcerns are: (1) increased traffic congestion, (2) safety
concerns, (3) small planned lot size and square footage of homes.
Traffic
congestion was “the most vocal complaint that
Alpharetta residents have
about their city” [2030 Comprehensive Plan, pg. 15]. We are extremely
concerned about the impact of 108 homes on Mayfield Road going east to
Highway 9 and going west to Crabapple. In peak morning hours, traffic
already backs up on Mayfield Road from Highway 9 almost to Providence
Road. Also, going east on Mayfield Road toward Northwestern Middle
School and Milton High School in the morning, there is a long backup
from the light at Freemanville Road through the stop sign at Bethany
Road for half a mile. Not to mention, the impact in the evening traffic
going north from Highway 9 turning left onto Mayfield Road. The
developer did a traffic study (without utilizing black box traffic
counters normally used for traffic studies) during the last week of
July. We question the validity of a traffic study done during summer
vacation months. This traffic is best monitored when school is in
session and must include the increase in volume resulting from the
proposed high density developments. The developer performed a second
traffic study (again, without utilizing black box traffic counters
normally used for traffic studies) on the Mayfield – Bates Roads
intersection and the Mayfield-Bethany Roads intersection while school
was in session. The Mayfield-Bethany Road intersection received an “F.”
The addition of 108 homes will exacerbate this traffic problem. A
major concern is that the first and second traffic study did not include
traffic going east on Mayfield to Highway 9. Congestion is a big
issue - a comprehensive traffic study must be done to determine the
total effect that the entire project of building 108 homes will have on
our streets and the traffic along Mayfield and Providence Roads.
Certain applicable policies from the Comprehensive Plan
are listed below as well as provisions of the Unified
Development Code.
Theme Use: Transportation
TPolicy2:Provide multi-modal transportation options.
TPolicy 6: Develop a network of interconnected streets to provide more access routes and less dependence on the arterial and major collector street system.
TStrategy 6.1: Support development of interconnected public street
network within new developments that link new streets and neighborhoods
to existing public streets and adjacent subdivisions, allowing for more than one way in and one way out as well as providing for multiple route options within the developments.
Per the Unified Development Code - City of Alpharetta:
Section 4.2.3 STANDARDS FOR ZONING CHANGES
We
also have safety concerns with the developer proposing to install the
Johnson property development egress directly across from the
intersection of Bates and Mayfield Road. With the nearby curve on
Mayfield Road, it is already difficult and dangerous to exit out of
Bates Road. Trying to exit with the additional cross street road traffic
will make this intersection even more dangerous. Sharp’s proposal of a
four way intersection, without stop signs on Mayfield Road, a traffic
light, or even deceleration/turn lanes for westbound traffic turning
right onto Bates Road or eastbound into the new development, is a major
concern. Equally important, the difficulty of exiting onto Mayfield will
surely cause significant traffic back up onto Bates Road particularly
since this is the most direct route used during the morning commute due
to the school traffic. Additionally, all homes should be in the
confines of the neighborhood. The developer has 14 homes that face
Bates Road with the driveway entering and exiting onto Bates. This will
compound the traffic on Bates and will result in unsafe conditions.
The
proposed plans allow only one way in and one way out. However, by
increasing the lot size, the number of people and cars will be more
manageable and more than one way in and out may not be needed.
The
proposed plan is to build smaller homes (2500 sq. ft. minimum) on
smaller lots (15,000 sq. ft.) as compared to adjacent and nearby
subdivisions. We strongly object
to this proposed density which will give an urban appearance and will
adversely affect the “horse-farm and estate” character of this Northwest
neighborhood. Currently, the land in question is zoned as Agricultural
(AG). The developers are requesting rezoning to Low Density
Residential - R-15, or minimum 15,000 sq. ft. lots. The Johnson Tract
plan, as proposed, is not compatible with
the character of the nearby neighborhoods, built since 1998, of
Harrington Falls, Harrington Oaks, Gransley, and Providence Place, which
are 1+ acre minimum (Zoned R) nor the older adjacent neighborhoods of
Alpharetta Estates (30,000 sq. ft. minimum) and Mayfield (20,000 sq. ft.
minimum). The Johnson Tract should be zoned “R” 1+ acre, similar to
the lot sizes of homes built in this area since 1998. This would follow
the character of existing neighborhoods and not “adversely affect”
those communities.
At
the developer’s September 5, 2012 meeting, he said that although the
plan states the homes will be a minimum of 2500 sq. ft., they usually
build homes that are 3500 sq. ft. The developer’s plan should reflect
what they are actually going to build. In order to conform to the
character of adjacent and surrounding neighborhoods, the Johnson Tract
should be compatible with the newer homes built in this area
Another
concern is the proposed building line setbacks in the front of 35 feet.
The setback does not conform to the existing setback in the adjacent
neighborhoods. Setbacks should be the same as Alpharetta Estates and
Mayfield which are 50 feet.
Certain applicable policies from the Comprehensive Plan are listed below as well as provisions of the Unified Development Code.