Three ongoing events will hopefully improve greenspace in Cobb County in the very near future:

​1. New efforts on funding the voter-approved $40 million Park Bond from 2008. 

Former Cobb Parks Coalition President Paul Paulson in "Commissioners, time to get back to work on parks bond" explains (November 4, 2015 editorial in the Marietta Daily Journal).  

Most all of the properties on the Park Bond 2008 list to purchase have been developed.  A few properties on the Park Bond 2008 list are under threat of development, such as the 54-acre Tritt property.  A few other properties on the Park Bond 2008 list are available for purchase and hopefully the Board of Commissioners can act quickly to save them.   

Attending Commissioners' Town Hall meetings and Board of Commissioner hearings to ask the full $40 million for the Park Bond be funded, as overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2008 will make a difference.

2. Encourage Cobb Travel & Tourism on the new multi-use trail network plan, as a way to achieve the 2030 Comprehensive Plan parkland goals.

See the "Cobb County planning multi-use trail system" October 28, 2015 article in the Marietta Daily Journal and "Cobb Officials Imagine a Trail Through Entire County" October 29 report on WABE.

Compare the Cobb Trail Plan with the Woodstock plan in Cherokee County inspired by the state-wide Georgia Greenspace Program to save 20% of every Georgia county as trails and greenspace.    

3. Push for more parkland acres by attending upcoming 2040 Comprehensive Plan meetings.  
​Did you know more than 1,448 acres have already been slated for purchase as Parks, according to the 2030 Cobb Comprehensive Plan?  But this goal has not been achieved.

Now Cobb County is creating the 2040 Comprehensive Plan to deal with an even greater population influx than predicted. 

Cobb Community Development is requesting community input, so we can push for even more acres to get the level up to 10% or even 20% of the County, which is actually the stated goals of the current 2030 Comprehensive Plan for saving greenspace and creating parks.  
 
2040 Comprehensive Plan Public Meeting #3 
When: November 12, 2015
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: South Cobb Community Center, 620 Lions Club Dr., Mableton, GA 30126

2040 Comprehensive Plan Public Meeting #4 
When: November 16, 2015
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Mountain View Community Center, 3400 Sandy Plains Rd., Marietta, GA 30066
 
If possible, attend upcoming meetings for the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and find out more information on the 2040 Comprehensive Plan planning process.

The QT Gas Station on the corner of Roswell & Old Canton just bought the Residential house next to it on Old Canton Road to build a larger QT.  

• The current QT store is less than 3,000 square feet and QT plans to build a new QT at 5,558 square feet, much larger than zoning code allows.
    
  
• A drive-thru is planned for the new QT too.
   
  
• No traffic study has been submitted for this project.  
  
  
• Also, no landscape plan has been provided.  

Some East Cobb neighbors and the ECCA recently met with QT representatives in July, and we have been told QT has so far denied many compromises to their plan, such as adding extra high fencing along the neighborhoods as well as protecting ponds & streams from run off.  

Here is the final analysis for the QT zoning request, and the zoning department recommends approval at this point.  Contact the Commissioners here before the August 4 meeting.

Here is the QT preliminary zoning application (See pages 11-17). 

The Planning Commission meets this Tuesday, August 4 at 9:00am, 100 Cherokee St NE, Room 200, Marietta, GA 30060.  The Board of Commissioners makes a final decision on August 18 at 9:00am.

Click here to write your own email to the Board of Commissioners & Planning Commissioners to encourage QT to work in the best interests of the community according to the zoning codes. 

The Planning Commission meets this Tuesday, August 4 at 9:00am, 100 Cherokee St NE, Room 200, Marietta, GA 30060.  Email the Commissioners directly here.

Cobb County's plan for the entire county called the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, passed in 2005, includes details on preserving natural resources by acquiring over 1,400 acres of parkland and saving 20% of land by 2030.  

According to Love Cobb Parks, currently, less than 7% of Cobb County has been preserved as greenspace, and the planned 1,448 acres to save has not been protected yet.  

Related to those greenspace goals, the 54-acre Tritt property was chosen twice as a property to save with the Cobb County Park Bonds in 2006 and 2008.  The historical 100+ year-old barn and 50+ year old house on the Tritt property, as well as the streams and aquifer flowing into the Sewell Mill Creek and the Chattahoochee River are important resources to preserve. 

In fact, the Tritt property on Land Lots 965 and 966 is specifically mentioned in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan to keep residential as the East Cobb area has been so developed.

Saving the Tritt property as parkland would allow the County to honor the 2030 Comprehensive Plan commitment, as well as honor the will of Odessa Tritt Lassiter. Everyone in the community benefits when a fair percentage of the environment is protected, especially as the population continues to grow. 

The Atlanta Regional Commission in Plan 2040 selected “sustainability” as the theme of Plan 2040 and said "The region must continue to plan for growth while better coordinating management of environmental, cultural and historic resources"  The Atlanta Regional Commission in Plan 2040, adopted in 2011, supports and augments local efforts to "conserve and protect critical environmental and historic resources, rural landscapes, critical habitats, greenspaces, water supply, water quality, air quality and other environmental features while meeting the overall regional needs to manage growth sustainably." 

As East Cobbers know, this zoning debate has never been about senior living, as there are 10 wonderful senior living facilities in a 5-mile radius of the Tritt property, and many more in the East Cobb area.  The issue has always been about the size and scale of the Isakson Living CCRC plans, a development of regional impact with nine (9) 4-story apartment buildings + 2 additional multi-story buildings, on 54-acres of residential land actually less than 1 mile from 3 top tier schools in the Walton school district, and planned next to the only passive use park the East Cobb community helped purchase, popular East Cobb Park.  The square footage of the Isakson Living CCRC proposal is equal to 6.5 WellStars and more than all the retail of Cumberland Mall.

A CCRC is a very intense type of senior community, basically a hybrid of an apartment complex and a nursing home, with additional on-site restaurants and retail.   In Cobb County, a developer cannot build an apartment complex or a nursing home (a.k.a., a supportive RSL) on Low Density Residential land, so why should a hybrid of the two be allowed in the CCRC code?  A nonsupportive RSL, or retirement community, is allowed on Low Density Residential land, but is restricted to 2-stories and 5 units per acre. A CCRC has no such protections for neighborhoods in the CCRC zoning code, which Kevin Isakson of Isakson Living helped draft in 2008.  The Isakson Living East Cobb plans included nine (9) 4-story buildings + 2 additional multi-story buildings, with over 10 units per acre, unprecedented commercial development in East Cobb or next to any public park.

Zoning Signs Down Between May 2014 and Nov 2014 Hearings

A zoning procedure error occurred when Isakson Living took down the zoning signs on the Tritt property after the May 2014 hearing, and the signs did not go back up until 30 days prior to the November 2014 hearing.  This in violation of Cobb Code Sec. 134-121, (b), (1): 
"The applicant shall be required to post and maintain signs supplied by the zoning division on or near the right-of-way of the nearest public street, so as to be visible from the street, for at least 30 days immediately preceding the date for any public hearings on the application, which shall remain posted until a final decision by the applicable boards."

On March 3, the Planning Commission recommended these streams be more protected, and recommended that the houses Isakson Living planned to build in the stream buffer not be built.   We would have liked even more concessions for our residential community, but we can be proud that the conditions put on the approval recommendation were the result of the local community fighting hard for their rights as homeowners, tax payers, and voters.  We must keep up the momentum to make the County Commissioners hold to these concessions at the very least.  

Property owners have the right to sell, but developers do not have the right to develop anything they want.  Commercial should not be put in Residential zones, especially a development the size of Cumberland Mall! (Air-conditioned floor space of Isakson Living's proposal is greater than the combined floor space of all retail at Cumberland Mall).  Zoning laws exist to protect communities from inappropriate development or overdevelopment. The Board of Commissioners makes the final decision on March 17, which is why it is important that we continue to show up and press for the right thing to be done. 

The topic of wetlands was not adequately addressed at the March 3 Planning Commission, and we still request that an independent environmental survey be allowed on the Tritt property, before any rezoning takes place. Federal and state guidelines on the protection of wetlands must be adhered to on any property development, especially this 54-acre property, which was on the top of the Park Bond 2006 and Park Bond 2008 lists. Read a powerful Letter to the Editor, Deny Isakson zoning; carry out public’s order on parks bond vote, in the Marietta Daily Journal published on March 3.

When viewing the Walking the Tritt property video, many East Cobbers are just now understanding how near the planned 4-story CCRC apartment buildings would be to East Cobb Park, and what the future views would be if we don't continue to press for this rezoning case to be denied on March 17.  Start at minute 4:30 to see what the view would look like from proposed Building F and Building G.   Here is a map to understand where the proposed buildings would be in relation to East Cobb Park.

We cannot allow the BOC to water down any of our hard-won concessions.  We must make the county hold firm!  The zoning game works like this:  a developer asks for 100 houses, and lots of people attend the Planning Hearing to oppose the developer's plans.  The Planning Commission recommends approval, but with only 80 houses.  Then the developer presses ahead, and fewer people in opposition show up at the Board of Commissioners hearing two weeks later.  The developers count on this!  With no community pressure at the hearing, the developer asks for more than the Planning Commission recommended, and the BOC approves 90 houses.

The right of communities to protect zoning categories is being challenged with this zoning case. As we gear up for the final BOC hearing on March 17th, plan to attend and be counted.  We did not get everything we want on March 3, but we will continue to press for less intensity and impact on the community.  

If the developer cannot or will not compromise, we will continue to push for denial.  But we need your help at the BOC hearing on March 17th, to attend and be counted.  With our huge strength in numbers, we can motivate the Commissioners to do the right thing for the citizens of East Cobb!

We can keep sharing the Petition with our friends and neighbors and keep writing the Board of Commissioners before March 17. 

Guest Post: While working with Concerned Citizens of East Cobb against the Isakson Living CCRC development plans, I had the opportunity to walk the 54-acre Tritt property, as part of a tour with Isakson Living's landscape architect to understand where the 11 mostly 4-story apartment buildings and 65 homes would be located in relation to existing subdivision homes, East Cobb Park, and streams including Sewell Mill Creek.  I actually got to walk on the Tritt property 2 times because the first time not all the buildings at been staked out completely.  Here's the CCRC building plan to show where I was standing when I took the pictures, so that you can understand the CCRC plans more fully, and see how the buildings would look like if this zoning passes. 

I will say that I was against the CCRC plans before the tour. But now I'm overwhelmed, because the property is so beautiful, even in the middle of winter, and the CCRC buildings are much closer to the borders of the property than I thought.   I realize that people need to live and work somewhere, and there's only so much space that can be saved.  However, the scale of these plans is so completely out of character here, and very urban when compared to anything else in East Cobb. As far as I know, there are no 4-story buildings anywhere in East Cobb, so I was surprised to see so many 4-story buildings on the plan!  

Thank Josh Groban, Don't Give Up

Topography: The landscape is so beautiful, it's rolling hills with spaced hardwoods in every direction.  I noticed some micro-zones on the property, and one of my favorite was a grove of elms.  I also especially liked climbing to the top of the main hill, it's a perfect view of the area: to East Cobb Park, the hill to Glenside, across to Providence, and over to Hidden Hollow.  I was quite upset to learn that 28-30 feet of 'ground' would be taken away to make it flat enough to build on.  Why wouldn't the developers build on a property that is already flat?  Wouldn't that be better for the environment? Cheaper? Easier? I was told they would 'replant' on this property after the buildings were built... But then why wouldn't they just replant after building on already developed property?? If they are going to cut down all the trees anyway, why wouldn't they purchase a different property that is already developed?  These trees should be saved.  I can see why this property was highest on the Park Bond 2006 and Park Bond 2008 list:  It is meant to be saved.

Insight about the retirement concept: When I first learned about a retirement community on the Tritt property, I thought, how sweet, seniors can age in a beautiful forest near their grandchildren playing at East Cobb Park... but now I realize, all the trees will be cut down on the property, and there is no 'little' retirement community in the woods... there are huge multi-story buildings with homes so close to the next subdivision you could easily toss a football between them.  Then, East Cobb Park would be changed forever by towering buildings.  Even the donated land would run along the edge of 50-60 ft tall buildings that go on for the entire length of East Cobb Park.

Insight about schools: I had also been told that this 481-unit retirement community would be better than a subdivision because it wouldn't add children to the schools.... but now I understand if even 100 East Cobb seniors moved out of their existing homes into this CCRC retirement community, that would mean 100 homes available for new families to move into... and that could overcrowd the schools.   Ironically building an 80-home subdivision on the Tritt property could mean less students for the schools!  Of course, I would rather see this property saved, but that's another topic...  For now, this development plan should be stopped.  

Cumberland Mall comparison: I had heard that this Isakson Living CCRC would have more square footage than Cumberland Mall, and I can see that now. Honestly it felt even bigger. I walked over 2 hours during each visit to cover much of the property, and I didn't see everything.  I walked around the perimeter to see the potential views from the 11 multi-story CCRC buildings and some of the 65 CCRC homes. 

Directions to Tuesday, March 3 at 9:00 AM meeting at the Board of Commissioners, 100 Cherokee Street near the Marietta Square

Online Petition

Some extra pictures of nature on the Tritt property

The history of the Tritt land goes back much further.  In 1832, Georgia held the Gold Lottery, to give away several thousand parcels of 40 acres each.  The Cherokees had recently been forced from the area (the Trail of Tears), and there was the belief that much of their former land had gold, including the present area of East Cobb.  There was so much demand for the gold land, that the state divided the area into 40 acre parcels (called Land Lots), rather than the usual 160 acre parcels. The Land Lot system is still used today to describe land in Cobb County.

Also, in 1832 Cobb County was formed from the former Cherokee land.  We don't know the earliest history of the current Tritt land, because the Union army burned the Cobb courthouse, along with most records, in 1864, during the Civil War.  However, we know from available tax lists that Jackson Delk (1814-1897) owned the land by at least 1864.

In January 2014, Isakson Living offered to donate 9.5 acres of the Tritt property to expand East Cobb Park, contingent on the their rezoning being approved.  This was intended to placate some members of the community, by offering land which mostly could not be built upon anyhow (protected flood plain and stream buffers), but which would make fine park land - most of the current East Cobb Park is flood plain land.

Now there are strings attached to the park donation.  In Isakson Living's most recent stipulation letter, they are not required to make the park donation until the final "certificate of occupancy" is issued by the county.  A "certificate of occupancy" is the final inspection that a house or building is safe for occupancy.  There are at least 76 structures in their plan, including 65 houses, 9 large apartment buildings, and 2 other large buildings, all of which will each require a certificate of occupancy.  Thus, the park donation is contingent on 76 or more  "certificates of occupancy", and if even one of their planned buildings is not built, Isakson Living is under no obligation to make the park donation.

We have asked Isakson Living for a reasonable time-frame for making the park donation, such as either when a particular phase of construction was complete, or 48 months after zoning approval, whichever comes first.  They have thus far refused.  When asked how long construction will take, Isakson Living has consistently answered 3 to 4 years, so why not set a definite time for the park donation?

The market may not exist for Isakson Living's full plan, meaning the site may never be built out, which would mean they are never obliged to make the park donation.

Isakson Living is making no guarantees about when the park donation will occur, which is one more reason to fight this rezoning.  Join us at 9 AM, Tuesday, March 3rd, at the Cobb County Planning Commission zoning hearing in Marietta.  We need many people in opposition to defeat this rezoning!  Also, here is the Petition if you haven't yet signed. 

Above is the image of Building 7 of the 11 large apartment  buildings: Building G is planned to be 178,300 square feet and 4-Stories tall (to compare, WellStar across the street is 162,000 square feet).  Read the next post below or click here for all the images of the proposed Isakson Living CCRC development.

On Friday, February 6, 2015, representatives of East Cobb Civic Association (ECCA) and Concerned Citizens met with representatives of Isakson Living, including their attorneys, architects and landscape designer to review the latest changes to their proposal for a retirement community on the 53.7 acre Tritt property, next to East Cobb Park.  This blog post relates much of the information Isakson Living provided at that meeting about their proposed Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) plan for the Tritt property located on Roswell Road.

The 2 images below put together would be the front view of the CCRC development from Roswell Road, according to the latest Isakson Living plan for the 54-acre Tritt property. In other words, there does not appear to be any overlap in these 2 pictures of the proposed view from Roswell Road.  

This Isakson Living image above is the view from Roswell Road near Providence Road,
 and includes Buildings A, C, and H, and some of the 65 cottages.  

This Isakson Living image above is the view from Roswell Road near East Cobb Park,
and includes Buildings I, J, and K.

With both pictures side by side, the enormity of
the Isakson Living CCRC development proposal is clear.  

The image below is the map of all the buildings of the Isakson Living CCRC plan.  On the right, the blue water is Sewell Mill Creek next to East Cobb Park. The 11 buildings A-K are shown in detail in images provided by Isakson Living below. The squares at the back and left of the map are the 65 cottage homes.  The top view is Roswell Road, near Providence Road in the Walton school district.

The images below are Isakson Living plans for:
 Buildings A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, and K that house 416 units,
the Health Care Center, the Fitness Center, and Other Amenities
as well as 4 designs for the 65 cottages.

Building A is 57,420 square feet and 4-Stories tall (3-stories over parking)

Building B is 48,396 square feet and 4-Stories tall (3-stories over parking)

Building C is 94,770 square feet and 4-Stories tall (3-stories over parking)

Building D is 11,800 square feet and 2-Stories tall
(Fitness Center)

Building E is 63,300 square feet and 4-Stories tall (3-stories over parking)

Building F is 87,510 square feet and 4-Stories tall (3-stories over Parking)

Building G is 178,300 square feet and 4-Stories tall (3-stories over Parking)
(to compare, WellStar across the street is 162,000 square feet)

Building H is 79,650 square feet and 4-Stories tall (3-stories over Parking)

Building I is 96,810 square feet and 4-Stories tall (3-stories over Parking)

Building J is 38,355 square feet and 3-Stories tall (Assisted Living)

Building K is 68,160 square feet and 2-Stories tall (Skilled Nursing)

The 2 images below are the color schemes for Building B and Building I.

Below are images of the 4 designs for the 65 cottages planned. The size of each home has been confirmed to be between 1,870 and 5,200 square feet.  To calculate the overall square footage of the project, the average 3,535 sq ft x 65 homes was used.

Intensity and density are the key descriptions when viewing this CCRC proposal.  It does not fit in East Cobb, nor has a plan been provided that would fit in any low density residential area, as former district 3 Commissioner Helen Goreham pointed out in the initial passage of the CCRC zoning code in 2008 (start at minute 58:00). 

A CCRC with 11 mostly 4-story apartment-style buildings and many commercial amenities, in addition to a 65 home subdivision, is an intensity far greater than a subdivision developer could build. Approximately 88 houses total could fit on the property as it is currently zoned (R-20), and if modeled on the High Gates subdivision (also R-20) on Robinson Road, which has similar acreage as the Tritt property and a floodplain, perhaps as few as 48 homes would fit.     

We want to emphasize again that we support CCRCs, just not a CCRC of this magnitude on this location near East Cobb Park in the Walton school zone.  The Isakson Living plan is far too intense and commercial for this residential area, especially given the topography and environmental features of the Tritt property. 

This Tritt property is zoned low density residential and it should remain so, in order to protect this area from overdevelopment of the East Cobb community, schools and recreational areas.  We hope that Isakson Living can find a suitable location where they could easily build 4-stories or higher, on already developed land rather than pristine forests, to make a cost-effective and practical CCRC development. 

We trust the Board of Commisssioners to follow the zoning guidelines to protect areas from being overdeveloped.  It must be pointed out the WellStar on Roswell Road did not go through zoning, and so the impact of that massive development should be taken into account when any future rezonings in this corridor come up for a vote before the Board of Commissioners. The Isakson Living CCRC should be considered in light of the huge impact that WellStar has made on this East Cobb community, and Z-6 the Storage Facility across the street from WellStar and next to the Tritt property should also be considered in light of WellStar's footprint in this corridor.

4 Views Provided by Isakson Living of the CCRC Compared to Actual Views

Below are images provided by Isakson Living of 4 views from the neighboring subdivisions. Isakson Living has asserted that enough trees will remain to mitigate the views of the CCRC development; however, that viewpoint does not appear accurate based on real images of the Tritt property trees. 

Some homeowners in neighboring subdivisions were invited to walk the Tritt property with maps of the proposed development with Isakson Living's landscape designer, in order to understand where the houses and buildings would be located and to see how the subdivision views would be impacted. 

We have included a several Isakson Living-provided images side-by-side with photos of the Tritt property to illustrate the nature of the trees and how the CCRC buildings and houses would not be hidden from view by those trees that would remain. Rather, the CCRC buildings would dominate the landscape for everyone travelling on Roswell Road, living in the homes of the 5 subdivisions surrounding the property, or visiting East Cobb Park.

In the Isakson Living image above, the trees seem different from the actual trees.  Note how high the tree canopy is in the real image below.

In the Isakson Living image above, the trees seem different from the actual trees.  Note how high the tree canopy is in the real image below.  Many of the Tritt property trees appear 60-70 feet tall, and appear quite different in actuality than depicted in the images..

Damage to home foundations from planned blasting is a real concern for all the subdivision houses surrounding the property, in part because many of the surrounding neighborhoods are situated on a ridge above creeks that feed into Sewell Mill Creek.  Isakson Living plans to 'grade' at least 25-30 feet of large sections of the property in order to make it flat.  

Erosion and flooding are real concerns as well, and here are 2 videos of the flood of 2009.

This latest Isakson Living plan was put forward after the wetlands probability blog post.   Some very small areas of wetlands are now acknowledged on the latest Isakson Living plan but the main areas of probable wetlands are not included on this plan. 

Freshwater Forested / Shrub Wetlands are most likely located in the floodplain along Sewell Mill Creek, and not only can wetlands not be built on but often different construction techniques would need to be used so as not to damage them, according to federal and state wetlands guidelines. 

The impact to East Cobb Park cannot be overstated either.  Isakson Living has stated the project would take roughly 4 years of intensive construction, but this is after being told it would take 10 years for the project to be complete.  Very little in the footprint of the project has changed since the first plan, so it is difficult to know how the timeline became shorter. 

East Cobb Park is the jewel of East Cobb.  Residents from all areas of metro Atlanta come to enjoy the trails, playgrounds, green spaces and  Sewell Mill Creek.  A development of this size takes years to complete and the environmental  impact of a multi-year construction project on the surrounding area can't be underestimated.

Isakson Living has been good stewards of Park Springs in Stone Mountain, and the recent media coverage of the talent show performance at that CCRC speaks well of senior living communities. We want to restate that we support senior living communities. However, it is clear that the large-scale commercial Isakson Living East Cobb CCRC  would not be compatible with the topography of the Tritt property, or with the surrounding community.

View the 1-Page Summary 
on why we support keeping the current zoning for the 54-acre Tritt property.

During these past 2 years, thousands of East Cobbers have supported this effort to protect the Tritt property from development by signing petitions, emailing the Board of Commissioners, attending meetings, and sharing information with others, but even still, many people are just now finding out about the intensity of the Isakson Living development proposal and a lot has happened. So here's a timeline (see below) as well as a recap of the top 5 blog posts that include key details about why it is so important to preserve the Tritt property:

By waiting until after the rezoning is final before figuring the number of acres of wetlands on the property, Isakson Living is not giving the Board of Commissioners an accurate picture of this significant East Cobb property.  In short, a wetlands survey should be done before any rezoning hearing with the Board of Commissioners, currently scheduled for March 3 and March 17, 2015. 

In a recent MDJ article, Board of Commissioners Chair Tim Lee noted that the county is in need of retirement homes and “We need to provide somewhere for senior adults to age in the community in which they raised their kids." However, the overwhelming majority of senior facilities in all of Cobb County are densely located in East Cobb, and this type of CCRC facility serves an extremely small percentage of Cobb's overall senior population. If the true goal is more senior living options across Cobb as Mr. Lee indicates, this project does little to serve those who are most in need of affordable options.  The proposed development would use up precious resources while offering no affordable solutions for the majority of retirees living with families in Cobb County. In other words even if this development were approved, an overwhelming majority of seniors in Cobb County would not benefit from it.  

Related to this, Isakson Living has never presented a needs analysis for this type of retirement community in East Cobb.  Many retirees who can afford this type of community often opt for in-home nursing care.  In addition, many have observed how oversaturated the retirement community market has become in East Cobb, with more than 10 retirement communities, many of which are not at capacity, within a 5-mile radius of the proposed development site of the Tritt property next to East Cobb Park.  A new retirement community is also currently being built on East Piedmont near Sandy Plains, and it is worth noting that this property is similar to the Tritt property in that it was also on the potential list of property to be purchased with Park Bond 2008 (see images below).  

The cost of the land and Isakson Living's business model should not be the driving forces behind the Board of Commissioners' approval of this zoning.  The Board of Commissioners should deny Isakson Living's rezoning request based on the inappropriateness of the proposed buildings on this particular property (and considering Cobb's own future land use map) as well as the impact on the surrounding properties and natural floodplain of the Sewell Mill Creek watershed.

In January 2014, Isakson Living offered 9.5 acres of the Tritt property floodplain to East Cobb Park as part of a rezoning package deal.  This was a welcome development in negotiations, and in truth, this land cannot be built on by any developer because it is in the floodplain, so it seemed like a natural gift.  We were surprised to read in their October 24th stipulation letter to the Cobb County zoning office that Isakson Living specified the land donation "shall occur after completion of the entire project."  (Here is the entire stipulation letter.) 

How long would the entire project take until completion?  In the previous 3 Isakson Living plans, they stated the entire project would take 10 years, but with this latest plan, that time was shortened to 3-4 years, although no details were provided on how it could be built that quickly.  The build out is still based on sales and the future of the economy.  

However, it could take much longer than 10 years by looking at the track record of 1 of the other 2 Isakson Living CCRC properties. Isakson Living Peachtree Hills has remained an empty lot for over 9 years. and Isakson Living is still being sued for 30.5+ million. The East Cobb property may be viewed as a way to clear up the Peachtree Hills debt, but then what would happen to the viability of the East Cobb property?

Issue #3: 
Why the Isakson Living East Cobb proposal would raze more Green Space than previous plans

A CCRC on low density residential land is limited to 2 stories, unless the Board of Commissioners approves up to 4 stories, "taking into consideration the view-sheds, setbacks and height of buildings".  The topography of the Tritt property does not support 4-story buildings, because the land rises up from the floodplain to steep hills.

If these 4-story buildings, which would also require retaining walls, were allowed to be built, the view from East Cobb Park would be destroyed, particularly from the higher ground areas.  There is a large downhill slope along Roswell Road from Old Canton Road to Sewell Mill Creek, and people driving along Roswell, or down Providence Road, will see the upper floors and roof of what appears to be a giant apartment buildings.  Residents, visitors, and potential home buyers will see this.  This will have devastating effect on the way this area is perceived: no longer suburban, but urban.

Regarding the height of the buildings, it should also be noted that while Isakson Living Park Springs was under construction in 2004 after getting initial zoning for 3-stories over parking, they rezoned to add another story, so 4-stories over parking, also known as 5-story buildings.   The Isakson Living East Cobb proposal is currently for 3-stories over parking, or 4 stories, and a very real possibility is that they would go back and rezone for additional stories, so that at least 7 buildings in the East Cobb CCRC could be 5-stories tall. Remember that all the other previous Isakson Living East Cobb proposals included 5-story buildings. Also, the Tritt property is on a hill, so it would actually look much larger than a Park Springs 5-story building appears.

When adding in the 84 houses at an average of 3,000 square feet (252,000), the total square footage comes to just under 1,000,000 (999,500) square feet, very similar to total square footage of the previous plan, 1,124,034 (1.124 million) square feet of air conditioned space.  Compare this to a subdivision of 88 houses at 4,500 square feet, which would equal 396,000 square feet total. This is why this property is zoned low density residential rather than commercial.

Below is an actual 5-story building (4-stories over parking) at Isakson Living Park Springs in Stone Mountain.  The Isakson Living East Cobb proposal from October 2014 includes 4-story buildings (3-stories over parking) for 7 of the 11 multi-story buildings (see plan below).  In addition, 84 houses 2- and 3-stories tall are part of the plan. (see images below)

This 5-story Park Springs building is still very much a possibility in East Cobb:  While Isakson Living Park Springs was under construction in 2004 after getting initial zoning for 3-stories over parking, they rezoned to add another story, and these became 5-story buildings. 

The Isakson Living East Cobb proposal is currently for 3-stories over parking, or 4 stories, and a very real possibility is that Isakson Living would go back and rezone to ask for additional stories, so that East Cobb would become exactly as this image shows:  a 5-story building.  All the previous Isakson Living East Cobb proposals included 5-story buildings.  Also note that the Tritt property is on a hill, so it would actually look much larger than the Park Springs image appears.

Isakson Living recently released some of their plans for a proposed retirement community (CCRC) on the Tritt property, next to East Cobb Park.  This plan is designed to be more like Isakson Living's existing retirement community called Park Springs, located in Stone Mountain, Georgia.  However, the Isakson Living East Cobb proposal is actually much larger than Isakson Living Park Springs, and when the East Cobb location is compared to the surrounding area in Stone Mountain, the East Cobb proposal is dramatically larger even still.   Even the proposed CCRC houses in East Cobb are 2 times larger than the CCRC houses in Park Springs.  

As these photos show, Park Springs is attractive, but it looks like a massive apartment complex. Something like this is simply out of place in East Cobb, particularly when adjacent to existing neighborhoods and homes. 

                        Park Springs and Isakson Living facts and timeline:

• Park Springs is located in Stone Mountain, Georgia, on the east side of the mountain, in DeKalb County, but right on the Gwinnett County line. Park Springs Address: 500 Springhouse Circle, Stone Mountain, GA 30087.  
  
• 1997 - Isakson Barnhart (old name for Isakson Living) proposes a mixed-use development, including a 394-unit apartment complex on Bermuda Rd in DeKalb County.  The local community strongly opposes, on the grounds of school overcrowding and property values.  A compromise is reached whereby the development is age restricted, and becomes the Park Springs CCRC retirement community.
  
• 1999 - Isakson Barnhart proposes a dense, apartment complex-like CCRC in Athens, GA, and is defeated.
• 2004 - While Park Spring CCRC is under construction, Isakson Barnhart goes through DeKalb County zoning a second time to raise the height of buildings from 3- to 4-stories
• 2005 - A year after Park Springs opens,  Isakson Barnhart initiates 3 years of legal action against the DeKalb County tax assessor to substantially lower their property taxes
• 2008 - Isakson Barnhart is part of a committee which drafts Cobb County's CCRC zoning code
• 2008 - Isakson Barnhart's proposed Peachtree Hills CCRC in Buckhead stalls, leaving empty lots to this day
• 2009 - Isakson Barnhart splits into two firms, Isakson Living and Barnhart Guess.  
• 2010 - The Stone Mountain Super Target, built by Isakson Barnhart directly in front of the Park Spring CCRC, goes out of business.
• 2011 - BB&T sue Isakson Living for 30.5 million for Peachtree Hills CCRC default.  The case is still pending in court.
• 2013 - Isakson Living proposes a 987-unit CCRC on the 54-acre Tritt property, next to East Cobb Park.
• 2014 - Isakson Living proposes a 498-unit CCRC that includes 11 multi-story buildings and 84 houses 2- and 3-stories tall. Below is the plan image received from Isakson Living.

A total of 149 Concerned Citizens with bright T-shirts packed the Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, May 6 to voice their concerns.  Thousands of emails and petition signatures to deny the Isakson Living proposal were acknowledged by the Planning Commission, and the 2,500 strong petition was formally presented.  

After 20 minutes of discussion from each side, in addition to a presentation by the traffic engineer who performed the traffic study, and several follow up questions to the applicant's lawyer, the Planning Commission voted to table the application for 90 days. The reasons for the decision to table was to address several further changes to the plan, including directives to:

- reduce the total number units to 500 or less, similar to Park Springs.

- cap the height at 2 stories, as stated in the CCRC code, or up to 3 stories.

- refine the traffic study to compare it to a development of 100 homes in an R-20 subdivision.  (200 homes was clarified as impossible for this property.)

- clarify the use and design of the cottages, especially from the Roswell Road view, where landscaping was cited as preferable.

- improve the size and scope of the landscaping buffer around the entire development.

The Planning Commission also specifically requested that the proposal be made available to the Planning Commission and the public at least two weeks prior to the next meeting, by the 15th of the preceding month.  The next meeting is now scheduled for Thursday, September 4, 2014, which is not on a Tuesday due to the Labor Day holiday. The May 20, 2014 meeting was cancelled.

Below is the PowerPoint slide presentation for the Planning Commission meeting:

Below is the text of the PowerPoint presentation.

Click here to view the WSBTV coverage of the meeting, and click here to read the Marietta Daily Journal article about it.

We will post more information as soon as it becomes available.

Traffic projections are supposed to conservative, meaning that if there are multiple legitimate techniques for calculating traffic, we take the one which shows the highest numbers.  We would not, for example, project traffic for an office complex proposal that assumes it is at partial occupancy.  We want to know the maximum amount of traffic possible.  Isakson Living's latest traffic projections were highly conservative in calculating the traffic for potential subdivisions, yet not conservative in  calculating the traffic for their Isakson Living East Cobb proposal.

To estimate traffic, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual, 9th edition was used.  This manual has a number of land use categories - single family homes, senior adult housing, etc. - with traffic multipliers and/or formulas for each.

However, to calculate the traffic for their proposed Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), Isakson Living chose land use categories which allow for unoccupied units, rather than the conservative approach of assuming the development will be fully occupied, and using the appropriate categories for fully occupied units.  This is like an office building developer conducting a traffic study which assumes that the offices will never be fully occupied.  And, that is just the beginning and the least of the problems with Isakson Living's traffic study.

The ITE manual has land use categories for CCRC, which is what Isakson Living's proposal is, yet they did not use the CCRC category.  We question why the CCRC category was not used.  ITE explicitly created this category for CCRCs, and conducted multiple traffic studies to come up with traffic multipliers.  If Isakson Living had used the CCRC category, it would have shown significantly more traffic, especially during the peak AM and PM rush hours.

Rather, Isakson Living broke down their proposal into its 3 constituent parts - Independent Living, Assisted Living and Nursing - and assigned an ITE category to each to estimate traffic.  87% of the units are Independent Living, and we question the choice of the ITE category for these units, something called a "Congregate Care Facility", which has very low traffic numbers, because vehicle ownership by the residents in that category is very low.  Isakson Living's initial traffic study quotes the ITE manual, which states "vehicle ownership levels were very low at congregate care facilities".  Would vehicle ownership be very low at Isakson Living East Cobb?  Lets look at the facts.

So, the Isakson Living traffic study is based on the premise that vehicle ownership is low among the residents, when in fact, it will likely be quite high.  This invalidates the traffic projections.

We disagree with the decision to not use the CCRC traffic category, and to split the CCRC into parts, but we especially disagree with the decision to use the "Congregate Care Facility" category, where the resident own few cars, to represent the independent living units.  A far more appropriate ITE category would be Senior Apartments, which is what these independent living units are.  The Senior Apartments category shows far more traffic for this proposal.

Isakson Living's 1999 proposal for a 456 unit CCRC in Athens, GA (which was defeated) was projected to generate 1,481 daily trips, according to the Athens media.  That is 3.25 daily trips per unit, as compared to just 2.04 daily trips for the Isakson Living East Cobb proposal.  Have seniors' driving habits changed that much in 15 years?  If anything, seniors are living longer, healthier lives, and driving for more of their lives.  The Athens traffic number appear to be much more realistic.

Isakson Living has continued to assert that a huge number of houses could be built on the Tritt property.  Isakson Living uses this huge number of houses, in conjunction with an unrealistic traffic study, to make their proposal for a high-density retirement community look favorable.  Lets look at the facts. 

The land is Low Density Residential (LDR) on Cobb County's Future Land Use map, and that is not going to change.  Changes to the Future Land Use map happen far less frequently than changes in zoning.  Low Density Residential means a density of no more than 2.5 units (houses) per acre.

The land is currently zoned R-20, meaning each lot has a minimum of 20,000 square feet.

The Tritt property is 53.7 acres, of which 7.5 acres is floodplain, leaving 46.2 acres not in the floodplain.  Floodplain and wetlands cannot be built on, and are not allowed in overall density calculations for a development. 

At the current zoning of R-20, a maximum of 80 houses could be built, since R-20 has a maximum average density of 1.75 houses per acre.  The R-15 zoning, which allows minimum lots sizes of 15,000 square feet, has a maximum average density of 2.1 houses per acre, meaning that a maximum of 97 houses could be built at R-15. 

If houses were built at 2.5 houses per acre, which is the maximum density for Low Density Residential, that would yield 115 houses.  However, that would require some of the property to be zoned RA-5, and the rest R-15.  RA-5 represents a range of densities, from 2.5 to 5.0 units per acre, and is limited by code to 20 acres maximum.  We would vigorously oppose any RA-5 zoning, even partial, on the Tritt property.  All proposals for development on the Tritt property will be judged on their own merits, but RA-5 is a non-starter.

So, 115 houses is the maximum number of houses that could be built, since the property is Low Density Residential, but we would oppose this many houses, because it means a zoning more dense than R-15, which would allow a maximum of 97 houses.  The topography of the property, including steep areas, and several acres of floodplain and stream buffers which cannot be cleared, may mean that actually fewer than 97 houses could be built.

Isakson Living asserts that 200 houses could be built on the property, which represents a density of 4.33 houses per acre (200 divided by 46.2 acres).  This is a significantly higher density than any of the adjacent subdivisions, and would not be allowed on Low Density Residential land, which again has a maximum density of 2.5 houses per acre.

The Tritt property does adjoin two subdivisions for part of its east side which are on Medium Density Residential (MDR) land.  These two subdivisions have densities of 3.59 and 3.86 houses per acre, which is allowable in Medium Density Residential (up to 5.0 houses per acre).  These two subdivisions are both zoned RA-4, a zoning which is no longer used for new developments, and which allowed up to 4 houses per acre.  Comparing the Tritt property to these MDR subdivisions is comparing apples to oranges, since the Tritt property is LDR. 

The two LDR subdivisions that adjoin the Tritt property, Robinson Walk and Hidden Hollow, have densities of 2.10 and 1.77 houses per acre respectively.  The Independence Square subdivision, which is not directly adjacent the Tritt property, but is just to the north, across Roswell Road and behind a row of low-rise office buildings, has a density of 1.55 houses per acre.

The Tritt property can be compared to the adjacent and nearby LDR subdivisions, since the Tritt property itself is LDR.  The latest Isakson Living East Cobb proposal has 748 units, which means a density of 16.19 units per acre.  This is over 7 times as dense as the densest adjacent LDR subdivision, and over 4 times as dense as the densest adjacent subdivision (which is on MDR land).

Isakson Living's assertion that 200 houses could be built on the Tritt property is incorrect, because that represents a density of 4.33, which is in the Medium Density Residential range, and would require changing the property from LDR to MDR, and the chances of that happening are very low.  Under the current LDR land use, the property could have 115 houses maximum, and that would be contested because it represents a density greater than the R-15 zoning allows, and greater than all the LDR neighbors.  97 is the maximum number of houses that could be built if the zoning were changed to R-15, and we believe that is the maximum realistic number of houses on the property. 

The sale of the 53.7-acre Tritt property next to East Cobb Park will impact this community greatly no matter what, whether it becomes a new Park, an 80-home subdivision, or a 748-unit Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC).  The Tritt property is one of the last undeveloped green space areas in East Cobb, and so its sale will have an effect on this area for years to come.

"Green Jewels"
A park is the green jewel of any community, and county planners have an obligation to protect these green spaces for the enjoyment of all citizens. As an example, 100-acre Jim Miller Park has enough space for concerts and other events and doesn't have large buildings bordering it.  The 80-acre Roswell Area Park is a great community park, and no tall buildings of any sort border the park.  Even the 189-acre Piedmont Park located in Midtown Atlanta also has no large buildings next to it; all high-rise buildings are across the street.  Even in the 843-acre Central Park in New York City, all the high-rise buildings are located across the street, not directly next to it.  Development in and around most every park is limited by zoning so that the Parks remain a relaxing place for all community members to enjoy. 

The East Cobb community sacrificed and worked so hard to create the now 20-acre East Cobb Park, which first opened in 2003, and the stated goal of the County at that time was to acquire more land to expand East Cobb Park.  East Cobb Park is a special place to walk, jog or push a stroller; a neighborhood place to walk the dog, to meet friends, relax, and play; a cozy place to have a picnic, celebrate birthdays, and other fun events.  So the loss of the Tritt property green space for such a high-rise CCRC development would be devastating, but so would losing the current relaxing atmosphere of East Cobb Park if towering buildings were allowed to be built next to it. Communities need reasonable development, and that includes parks and green space for everyone to enjoy.

100 Year Flood Plain
Of the 53.7 acres of the Tritt Property, 15.7 acres is protected flood plain and stream buffers, and no developer can build on that part of the property.  In addition, about 3 acres of the property is too hilly to build on, so that leaves only 35 acres which could be built upon by any developer.   In other words, for any potential developer, at least 15.7 acres and more than 1/3 of the property, 18.7 acres, could be protected by donating it to East Cobb Park or putting it in a conservation easement. Above is an image of the 15.7 acres that is protected from development by any developer.

Therefore, many concerned citizens have asked Isakson Living to find another location  for their proposed CCRC, on land that has already been developed, rather than destroying the last remaining green space in East Cobb.  In other words, building on an already developed parcel of land that is under-utilized or not used any more at all and re-purposing it helps the community a lot more than developing the Tritt property, this last bit of green space right next to East Cobb Park, our community's "green jewel".

In the map above, the following colors are used:

• White - Low Density Residential (LDR) - up to 2.5 houses per acre
  
• Yellow - Medium Density Residential (MDR) - up to 5 houses per acre
  
• Green - Parks & Greenspace
  
• Blue - Schools & Religious
  
• Pink - Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC) - low-intensity commercial
  
• Red - Community Activity Center (CAC) - medium-intensity commercial
  

Note that WellStar bypassed zoning, and the land is still considered Low Density Residential.

The Tritt property is Low Density Residential, and has Medium Density Residential, Low Density Residential and Park on three sides.  Across Roswell Road are some low-rise offices, and behind those is more Low Density Residential.   

East Cobb is predominantly Low Density Residential, let's keep it that way!

The Isakson Living zoning case, #Z-2 2014, is coming before the county for rezoning in May.  Isakson Living plans to build a high density retirement community on the 53.7 acre Tritt property next to East Cobb Park, but first they must go through the Cobb County zoning process to change the zoning from its current status of R-20, which allows approximately 2 houses per acre, to Continuing Care Retirement Community, or CCRC, which allows unlimited density.

The zoning process in Cobb County starts with the Planning Commission, which reviews zoning requests during a Planning Commission Hearing (Tuesday, May 6 at 9 AM) and makes a recommendation to approve or deny each request.  This is only a recommendation, since all zoning cases then go before the Board of Commissioners at their meeting two weeks later (Tuesday, May 20 at 9 AM), and the Board of Commissioners will make the final decision.  Both meetings are important for the future of East Cobb, so try to attend at least one!

Both meetings will be at 9 AM at the same location, 100 Cherokee Street, in Marietta, very close to Marietta Square.  There are two parking decks nearby.  Parking is $5, cash only, so carpool if possible.  See the map above.  From Parking Deck 1, you can take the 2nd floor pedestrian bridge directly to the Government Building, and you will be at the Board of Commissioners meeting room.  From Parking Deck 2, just cross Waddell Street into the Government Building and take the elevator to the 2nd floor.

Please arrive early, as there will likely be many people at these meetings.   If you have a Concerned Citizen or another yellow T-shirt, please wear it, and we will have more T-shirts available before the meeting for $10 cash (you can pre-order one here).

The Isakson Living zoning case will almost certainly be heard first.  The case will start with a headcount of those for and against the proposal, which is why we need you there!  After the headcount, which should be complete by 9:45, you are free to leave, and we certainly understand that people have other obligations.  If you can, please stay to hear the case.  There will be several zoning cases heard at both meetings, and you can also leave after the Isakson Living zoning case is complete.

At the Planning Commission meeting, Isakson Living will have a total of 10 minutes to present their case, and then the opposition will have a total of 10 minutes to argue against this proposal.  Then, the 5 members of the Planning Commission will ask questions of Isakson Living and the opposition.  The Planning Commission will then make a recommendation to approve or deny the zoning application.  They can also decide to delay a decision for various reasons, but we will be pushing hard for a denial recommendation, because we believe Isakson Living has had plenty of time to make a reasonable proposal to East Cobb, and more time is unlikely to change anything.

Please be on your best behavior!  No applause, booing or comments are allowed from the audience.  Show your support for keeping East Cobb low density by coming to at least one of these meetings!