Official: Harsh Economy Hindering Northlake Redevelopment

DeKalb County's goals to develop the Northlake area face significant challenges in today's harsh economic climate, a county official said Tuesday night.

The county’s Office of Neighborhood Empowerment and its Planning and Development Department held a community forum at One Dekalb’s office to educate residents about the Northlake Overlay District, which will govern future development.

Realizing the county's vision for the district will require major private sector investment, said Sidney Douse, a senior land use planner for the Planning and Development Department.

“We haven’t had that large precedent-setting project,” he said.

Chick-fil-A and a dental office have been the only two major development projects in the area since the Northlake Overlay District took effect.

The district spans from just west of the intersection of Briarcliff and LaVista roads to just east of the intersection of Northlake Parkway and LaVista Road. It extends roughly from the junction of Northlake Parkway and I-285 at its northernmost boundary, to the anticipated right of way of the “Brain Train” at its southernmost boundary.

Douse said that the overlay district is “superimposed over existed zoning” and extends additional development guidelines aimed at making the Northlake community more livable and walkable.

These guidelines include parking controls, landscaping and open space standards and architectural and design codes.

The overlay district is split into three tiers, he said.

Tier 1 is concentrated around Northlake Mall and is the “most intense mixed use category.” The county’s “desirable development mix” for this area is 60 percent retail, 30 percent residential, and 10 percent office space.

Tier 2 is primarily located east of I-285 and “allows for residents to live close to employment.” The county hopes to develop this area as 60 percent office space, 30 percent residential, and 10 percent retail.

Tier 3 encompasses the industrial area south of Northlake Mall and “recognizes and protects the area’s existing employment base.” The county’s ideal development breakdown for this area is 70 percent industrial, 20 percent retail, and 10 percent residential.

While Douse indicated that "the overlay is not a cure-all for all development issues" and that the scope of its impact will be determined by private sector investment, he assured attendees that as the economy mends, it is bound to have a greater affect.  

“The big picture of future growth in this county is going to be redevelopment,” he said. “We’re out of vacant lands.”