By Michael J. Thompson

The April 3 meeting of NPU-C at the Trinity Presbyterian Church had the same result as in previous months—another delayed vote on the proposed rezoning of the Moores Mill shopping center property.

“The Moore’s Mill renovation project will be heard at the May meeting and a vote will be taken then,” said Eric Ranney, the chair of NPU-C.

“We have also asked that Fulton County Commissioner Emma Darnell be present to discuss the Perry-Bolton TAD,” Ranney said. The TAD is a special tax allocation district.

The proposal is for a 345-home residential/commercial redevelopment that would necessitate the razing of the current properties on Coronet Way and Marietta Blvd. The Moores Mill Shopping Center would also get a major facelift.

Edens&Avant is seeking to rezone this property from Community Business (C-1) to Commercial Residential- Conditional (C-3-C), which would feature of a mix of affordable to moderately priced homes.

“We’ve been coming to these meetings since October and there is very positive news coming out now regarding the plan and the process is coming to an end,” said Lyle Darnall, vice president of development at Edens&Avant.

Sharon Gay, the lawyer representing Edens&Avant, said the contentious Perry-Bolton TAD is going to stimulate redevelopment and provide right of way for the extension of Moore’s Mill Road.

At the NPU-D meeting last week, fireworks erupted between concerned citizens and Commissioner Darnell as she tried to explain the county’s position on the TAD.

The city initiated the 20 percent on the Eastside and Perry-Bolton TADs, whereas Fulton County countered by requesting a 40 percent affordable housing plan within the Perry-Bolton TAD. The maximum price of the homes will be set at $150,000, primarily designated for households whose combined income does not exceed $56,950.

At the May meeting, Darnell will visit NPU-C to answer questions from those homeowners.

“The primary problem we’re facing is the that affordability must be at 40 percent, not the original 20 percent and this is much different then any city has yet to contend with,” Gay said. “Recently in Alpharetta a TAD was approved that had no percentage allocated for this burden.”

Gay was quick to point out that the response of the homeowners in NPU-D to the

Perry-Bolton TAD was still being felt at Atlanta City Hall.

“There has been enormous community outcry to the City Council about this issue. It’s making a difference, as the legality and fairness of the TAD is becoming an issue,” Gay explained. “Nothing is more important than communication from the community. It will get there attention.”