Plans for 240 new apartments in north Cobb to be considered

Avonlea Heights, if approved, would included a combination of one- and two-bedroom luxury apartments ranging from 781 to 1,035 square feet, according to developers. The complex would include amenities such as a swimming pool, a clubhouse and fitness center. Site plans the developers submitted to the county did not include proposed rental prices for the apartments.

Quintus is asking the county to rezone the property, currently in a general commercial district, to a mixed-use zoning designation that would allow the apartment complex.

Cobb’s planning commission approved the rezoning measure Sept. 7, advancing it to the Board of Commissioners despite objections from the Bells Ferry Civic Association as well as Cobb County School District officials. The civic association said the apartment complex would increase traffic congestion and worried that the development might lack access roads for fire trucks and emergency vehicles and sound buffers to mitigate noise from the surrounding highways as well as planes flying above from the nearby Cobb County International Airport.

School district officials said they had concerns that the complex would intensify overcrowding at Bells Ferry Elementary School about a mile away.

Other action expected during Tuesday’s zoning meeting includes an Alpharetta megachurch submitting new site plans for a proposed development in East Cobb.

North Point Ministries, which has locations throughout metro Atlanta, plans to build a four-story megachurch on 10 acres along Shallowford Road. Just south of the proposed church, North Point Ministries plans to construct 72 town homes and 59 single family houses near Johnson Ferry Road.

It will mark the second time the Board of Commissioners considers the proposed site plans. The church was forced to tweak its proposal after commissioners verged on denying their bid to rezone the residential portion of the development during an Aug. 17 meeting.

A rezoning request from a Manhattan-based developer also on the agenda Tuesday could mean 340 new apartments and a shopping center in south Cobb County.

TLM Realty plans to build a mixed-use development on 15.8 acres at 3753 Austell Road. The Austell site is currently occupied by a shopping plaza anchored by a Burlington department store.

The developer intends to build three- and four-story multifamily buildings next to three retail outlets, according to site plans.

Tuesday’s meeting will take place at 9 a.m. inside the Board of Commissioner chambers at 100 Cherokee St. in Marietta. Masks are required inside all Cobb County government buildings. Social distancing protocols and occupancy limits will be in place. To limit crowd size within the chambers, county officials plan to separate attendees interested in agenda items to be heard during the morning session from those interested in afternoon agenda items.