In 2012, the City of Dunwoody began a rewrite of both the Zoning Ordinance and Land Development Ordinance. During this process, the city decided to conduct a separate project for the Perimeter Center, in addition to the overall rewrite. This area is a unique part of the city because it is quickly developing into a more urban center and, therefore, additional zoning requirements are necessary.
The new ordinance is being designed to promote and regulate redevelopment in the Perimeter Center, while also protecting the surrounding single-family neighborhoods. A team of consultants from Duncan Associates and Codametrics is working with the city on this project and has conducted a process allowing for a large amount of public input on the zoning drafts being written. This project emphasizes sustainable, walkable, and transit-oriented development options. The city has released drafts of the Perimeter Center Zoning Districts, which can be viewed HERE, and the Perimeter Center Zoning Overlay, which can be viewed HERE.
The draft of the Perimeter Center Zoning Districts splits the area into four separate districts. Each district is designated for a specific use with certain building height and type requirements. The PC-1 District is intended to be the central core of the area and allows for more intense building development and employment uses, but also allows for pedestrian mobility. The PC-2 District is mainly for employment uses, with some shopfront retail and services. The PC-3 District is a smaller scale commercial district with both shopfront and office building types. The PC-4 District is primarily residential and is meant to allow for a transition between the core Perimeter Center area and single-family neighborhoods. Each of these four districts is permitted to have certain building types that have unique regulations and match the district’s intended use. Open Space is a separate type of area with requirements that support the city’s objective to promote a healthy lifestyle and provide everyone access to a variety of open space types.
There is also a zoning overlay and streetscape section included in the project. The purpose of this is to provide pedestrian-friendly, sustainable transportation solutions while also creating high quality roads and improved accessibility in the area. Street Types have been defined in the draft for all existing and new streets. The different types have specific requirements so that each street can be developed to best serve its primary purpose in the Perimeter Center. The Perimeter Center Overlay Draft also includes streetscape design and frontage requirements in order to ensure aesthetically pleasing development throughout the area.
The project is currently in the Code Review phase, and focus groups have provided feedback as the code has been drafted. The public is encouraged to continue submitting comments to assist with the revised draft that will be released mid-June. However, this phase is winding down so any comments must be submitted soon. The next project phase will be the Adoption Process and the City Council will have a chance to comment on the revised draft before adoption. This process is expected to start in August or September.