February 24, 2018

4 Min Read
Brooks Chadwick Capital Gets Approval to Build 3-Story Self-Storage Facility in Marietta, GA

Update 2/23/18 – The Cobb Planning Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved Brooks Chadwick Capital’s request to add self-storage to its mixed-use project in Marietta, Ga. More than three dozen residents attended the meeting to oppose the development, according to the source.

Jainet Morissett, who lives in the nearby Cutters Gap housing subdivision, said the project would result in a loss of “privacy and peaceful enjoyment of her property.” She also expressed her dislike for the facility’s design.

Moore noted the building would be 130 feet from the nearest home property line. He also defended the structure’s design and assured residents the business’ impact would be minimal on the community.

“What it looks like, from all appearances, is an office building. What it is, is something that’s far less intense than an office building,” he said. “Self-service storage facilities produce, essentially, from a statistical standpoint, almost zero traffic impact. They’re used on such an infrequent basis from a traffic-impact standpoint. It also generates essentially no noise.”

Allen McCahren, who resides on Hunters Lodge Road behind the site, offered the commission a petition that included 336 signatures from people opposed to the project. He argued the structure doesn’t “fit this community” and that there are already 15 storage businesses within the “immediate area” and four within 3.5 miles of the proposed site.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, who represents the area, said possible competition shouldn’t be a factor in the board’s decision. “To say there’s enough storage facilities already is kind of like saying ‘We have too many drugstores,’ or grocery stores or gas stations. It’s free enterprise,” she said. “As long as they meet the requirements and no variances, it’s not for us to get into the profitability or the price per land. That’s not what we’re here to consider as far as zoning.”

In addition, the commission approved another mixed-use project in the county that will include self-storage. The $120 million development on the northwest corner of Powers Ferry and Terrell Mill Roads will also include nearly 300 apartments, retail spaces and a new Kroger grocery store, the source reported.

2/12/18 – The Cobb Planning Commission voted 4-1 last week to recommend the special-use permit necessary for Brooks Chadwick to add self-storage to its project at the former Mountain View Elementary site. The recommendation came despite protests from residents of the Cutters Gap neighborhood who accused the developer of “bait-and-switch” tactics in adding the storage building after submitting its initial mixed-use plan, according to the source.

Some residents asked planners to impose a two-story limit, but attorney Kevin Moore, representing Brooks Chadwick, indicated the structure would have a required height limitation of 45 feet. “It’s the quietest possible use there could be in this location,” Moore told the commission.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners will make a final decision on the permit on Feb. 20. An earlier report erroneously indicated the planning commission was set to review the zoning issue on that date.

 2/5/18 – Brooks Chadwick Capital LLC, a privately held real estate investment company, is seeking zoning approval to add a three-story self-storage facility to a mixed-use property it’s developing in Marietta, Ga. The company received the green light last fall to repurpose the 13.8-acre Mountain View Elementary School at 3448 Sandy Plains Road. The plans include the construction of seven buildings on the site, which is owned by the Cobb County School District, according to the source.

The self-storage facility would be built on the southwest corner of the property, adjacent to the existing East Cobb Senior Center and The Art Place-Mountain View, a community art facility. Featuring a Colonial-style exterior, it would comprise 105,340 square feet of storage space and 13 parking spaces. Brooks Chadwick submitted a revised site plan and facility renderings in December after meeting with residents, the source reported.

Brooks Chadwick also plans to raze the school building and construct a 103,000-square-foot structure in its place to house restaurants, retail, a bank and supermarket. Company officials held several meetings last fall with residents, who at first opposed the project. The planning board approved the proposal in October after the company agreed to a number of stipulations, including the types of businesses that would be allowed. It also agreed to add a buffer between the back of the property and residences.

The Cobb Planning Commission will review the application on Feb. 20. The city’s zoning staff has recommended approving it with conditions, such as authorizing the final architectural and landscape plan. It also suggested keeping the stipulations that were part of the original rezoning.

Founded in 2003 and based in Marietta, Brooks Chadwick acquires and develops real estate in Metro Atlanta. Its services also include consulting and project management.

Sources:
Marietta Daily Journal, Storage Facility OK’d for New Development on old Mountain View Elementary
East Cobb News, Proposed Self-Storage Facility at Former Mountain View Elementary School Site Clears First Hurdle
East Cobb News, Self-Storage Facility Proposed on Former Mountain View Elementary School Site
East Cobb News, Former Mountain View Elementary School Redevelopment Approved

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