As mentioned in the last week’s BPNA monthly meeting, attached are copies of the current QT building proposal and blue print. Jim Martin has filed another appeal and the case number and the hearing date are listed below. Jim, has asked for as many people to turn out as possible for the hearing on November 6. Watch for next month’s newsletter for additional information.
Case Number V-14-192
Hearing Date is November 6th, noon at City Council Chambers
An online petition to the Board of Zoning has been created and needs signatures against the approval and building of QuickTrip at the corner of Howell Mill and Chattahoochee/Holmes. The approval of QuikTrip SAP BL-13-001 will greatly harm the existing Neighborhoods of Berkeley Park and Underwood Hills. The QuikTrip SAP BL-13-001 has multiple Administrative Variances that do not provide greater protection to the public as required by the Beltline Overlay and the City of Atlanta Zoning Ordinance.
Sign petition: Support Appeal V-14-192 of QuikTrip SAP BL-13-001
SAP zoning appeal from the neighborhood.
Update from Jim Martin, March 2015:
On February 12th, the BZA again considered our appeal of the administrative decision regarding the QT, which they had deferred in November. Unlike the previous meeting, there was a very small turnout from the community (~ 6 people), which seemed to embolden the board members to discuss a possible rejection of our appeal. In the end, the BZA again decided to defer the case, to “allow more time” for discussions between the community and QT. Since all of these discussions have focused on a plan for the site that is substantially different from the one that is the subject of the appeal, it seems that they could have just as easily provide time for discussion by upholding the appeal and thereby discarding the now-obsolete plan. They seemed to be concerned that doing that might set a dangerous precedent regarding the infallibility of city staff members.
It seems likely that the case will be heard again in April or May. When our case is next heard, it will be important to have a good showing from the neighborhood at the hearing. While all this is going on, a second plan submitted by QT should also be moving forward. It is better than the first plan, but it is still a giant ugly gas station that will do nothing good for the community. The elevations and site plans for this proposal are here and here. The current appeal is of the administrative approval for the first plan, which is linked from the September 2014 BPNA newsletter, rather than the most recent. As of now, the second plan has not received an administrative approval. If it does, there will be a 30-day window in which that too can be appealed in a separate action.
