Since announcing its proposed development, Isakson Living has listened and responded to community concerns about its proposal. Isakson Living has made numerous changes to its proposal, which have:
- Reduced the number of homes by 24%
- Reduced heights of over 50% of the building to 3 stories or less
- Increased buffers with adjoining neighborhoods
- Preserved over 24-acres (45% of the total site) as undisturbed green space
- Incorporated cottages
- And committed to expanding East Cobb Park by donating 9.5 acres to the county.
Isakson Living has acted in good faith and with respect to neighbors of the proposed development. Every attempt has been made to address those concerns while still maintaining the integrity of the proposed development. Unfortunately, Isakson Living’s proposal continues to be misrepresented by misleading accusations about the proposed project. The following are responses to some of the more common misrepresentations.
TOO INTENSE FOR THE AREA
Concern: Traffic on Roswell, Johnson Ferry, Old Canton and other roads would be gridlocked.
Response: A professional traffic study has been performed which shows that existing levels of service will be maintained in the study area. This study was reviewed by the Cobb County Department of Transportation, The Georgia Department of Transportation, and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority.
While any new development would create more vehicle trips than currently exists, the proposed development generates comparable trips to a single-family development under the existing zoning during peak AM and PM drive times. If the property were rezoned to an increased single family residential density, as has occurred elsewhere in this area of East Cobb, such a development would generate more vehicular trips both in the peak hours and over a 24 hour period.
Isakson Living’s proposal also includes making improvements to the intersection of Providence and Roswell Roads, which will improve existing conditions by realigning the intersection and creating extended turn lanes, thus removing east bound traffic desiring to turn left onto Providence from backing up into Roswell Rd.
(See attached traffic counts and intersection improvements.)
Concern: The size and scale are massive, and the footprint would be as big as 2 Georgia Domes.
Response: This is an irrational and misleading statement, as the opposition simply places two Georgia Dome footprints, at scale, over the entire developed area of the project, which includes green space and sidewalks between buildings. The same could be done over any subdivision or commercial development in Cobb and result in multiple “Georgia Domes” covering the sites of these developments. The Georgia Dome occupies over 400,000 square feet or more than 9 acres of land, so even the smallest subdivision would be “a Georgia Dome” as would commercial developments all over East Cobb.
Similar comparisons have also been made with Cumberland or Town Center Malls. Cumberland Mall’s footprint is approximately 860,000 square feet (approximately 20 acres) and Town Center Mall’s is 815,000 square feet (approximately 19 acres). Most subdivisions are more than 20 acres in size. Furthermore, most of the property surrounding both malls as well as the Georgia Dome is used for parking. For example, Cumberland Mall has an additional 2,065,000 square feet of parking alone.
By comparison, the footprints of Isakson Living’s proposed residential buildings located on the 53.7 acre site total approximately 320,000 square feet and occupy approximately 7.3 acres.
Isakson Living has also made significant commitments to place nearly 87% of its available parking underground, limiting the total impervious surface (buildings and asphalt) to approximately 13 acres which is less than 25% of the total site.
The total impervious surface area for Isakson Living’s project is less than the area allowed under the current zoning, and is significantly smaller than what could otherwise be permitted in other residentially zoned lands – or for a new subdivision on the site.
Isakson Living’s proposal also maintains 24 acres of undisturbed land (45% of the total site) and has committed to expanding East Cobb Park by donating 9.5 acres to the county. The expansion will provide greater connectivity between East Cobb and Fuller’s Park. Isakson living has also committed to improving the land that is donated including trails, lighting and benches.
(See attached drainage analysis performed by Lancaster and Associates for RA-5 and R-20.)
Concern: Too many units per acre planned for this LDR (Limited Density Residential) area.
Response: By code, the County permits CCRC in LDR. By code, CCRC does not have density limitations due to the nature of its use. As such, a discussion of LDR and density limitations in the context of a CCRC application is not relevant. Moreover, this “area” is not LDR. While the property is LDR, it has adjoining MDR, NAC, and within short distances, are further NAC areas. To classify the area as solely LDR is a misstatement of the facts.
Concern: Twice as many units are planned compared with Isakson Living Park Springs.
Response: This is an incorrect statement. Park Springs has 398 independent residences and 76 healthcare units. Isakson Living’s proposed community has 652 independent living residences and 96 healthcare units.
This is the 1st in a series of posts addressing the concerns of the proposed Isakson Living East Cobb community.