The Dunwoody City Council on Dec. 9 held a public hearing on a polarizing rezoning request for a mostly empty shopping center that would expand the variety of uses that its current zoning allows.
Branch representatives say they want to change the Mount Vernon Shopping Center’s zoning designation from Neighborhood Shopping to C-1 to allow for a greater diversity of uses beyond a grocery store, which has seen a revolving door of failed retail ventures in the last 10 years.
Most of the speakers at the meeting were in support of the zoning change, with one person expressing often-repeated concerns about the possible uses that the C-1 designation may allow.
Joe Martinez, who lives about five houses down from the center on North Peachtree Road, said he commended the “purposeful rezoning” of the space, but wanted to make sure that existing city ordinances regarding lighting and signage be upheld.
Other speakers living near the center say they support the change in order to bring more activity and entertainment for young families relocating to the city. Others expressed concerns that the approximately 320 parking spaces may not be adequate for the demand a new establishment may require.
In November, Dunwoody’s Planning Commission recommended the C-1 zoning change, with several conditions, including the types of uses that would be allowed, operating hours, and minor changes to the parking lot.
However, Dunwoody Senior Planner Madayln Smith said at the Dec. 9 meeting that staff did not stipulate one of the conditions that the planning commission had recommended – a change in weekend hours that would dictate that the end user close at 11 p.m. on Sunday.
At the Nov. 20 meeting, Dunwoody Senior Planner Madalyn Smith said Branch has also agreed to restrict several of the allowed C-1 uses, including capping the square footage for schools and special event facilities to 5,000.
“I appreciate the back and forth between the developer and the community to get a [tenant] list that people are comfortable with,” Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said.
Discussions at the November and December meetings were a sharp contrast to a contentious neighborhood meeting in late July during which a majority of attendees opposed most of the ideas proposed by its owners.
Branch officials at the July meeting said that the company has had interest from “eater-tainment” or lifestyle-focused uses like food halls, pickleball courts or entertainment arcades like PuttShack or Main Event, which would have a sporting element to them as well as food and alcohol options.
Branch officials said the possibility of putting in yet another grocery store has been shut down by all of the companies they have approached.
The February closing of Lidl is the fourth time that the anchor tenant in the Mount Vernon Shopping Center has been shuttered in the last 10 years. It was once a Harris Teeter, then an Ace Hardware, followed by a Sprouts Grocery before its three-year stint as a Lidl.
Sprouts was open from 2014-2018 before disappointing sales and the looming end of the five-year lease prompted its closure. Lidl opened in August 2020 to great fanfare, but regular shoppers said they noticed that the store’s business had never been robust nor well-staffed.
Council updates, discussions about ordinances
The council also heard a recap of 2024 events and 2025 budget presentation from Discover Dunwoody Executive director Ray Ezell.
He reported that Perimeter hotel room demand, hotel stays and revenues are either in line or slightly above 2023 numbers. The proposed $2.4 million 2025 budget reflects a 2.7% increase, to be spent mostly on marketing and personnel costs.
Ezell said newly opened facilities, like the Element Hotel, in the last year may challenge the overall occupancy rate for 2025, but said his team is working to lure occupants away from other geographic areas, rather than poaching from existing area hotels.
The council unanimouly passed a text amendment regulating the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits from unauthorized facilities. The council had asked staff to research several items of concern, which Dunwoody Planning and Zoning Director Paul Leonhardt discussed at the December meeting.
Leonhardt said staff has recommended to not ban pet stores from selling pets, not expanding the list beyond cats, dogs and rabbits and provide an exemption for pre-arranged transfer sales.
In other action, the council:
- Heard Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton’s monthly report, which detailed recently held community events, department achievements, and upcoming projects;
- Approved seven facility agreements for entities that operate out of Brook Run’s Dunwoody Senior Baseball fields for 2025;
- Passed by a 5-2 margin a contract amendment not to exceed $138,198 with Practical Design Partners, LLC for the final design of Peeler Road shared use path Public Works Director Michael Smith said staff and Dunwoody Council Member Tom Lambert have been meeting with impacted neighbors to ease concerns about privacy and stormwater runoff. Deutsch and John Heneghan were the dissenting votes.
