Planning commission forwards Met Highway rezoning for 60,000‑sq‑ft retail to city council

At a meeting of the Cumming Planning and Zoning Commission, commissioners voted unanimously to forward rezoning request 2025061 to the city council for approval, with conditions requiring final design approvals by the city’s design review committee.

The rezoning would change about 5.068 acres from Highway Business (HB) and Office Professional (OP) to Central Business District (CBD) and would allow a proposed 60,000-square-foot retail building with 298 parking spaces, according to the applicant’s presentation and staff report.

“Property consists of approximately 5 acres on Bald Ridge Road and Atlanta Road. Our proposed rezoning is from HB and OP to CBD. Proposed plan shows a 60,000 square foot retail building with 298 parking spaces,” said Sean Courtney, representative for Lipscomb Johnson, speaking on behalf of Met Highway Land Company LLC. Courtney told the commission the applicant has agreed to conditions that include requiring renderings, a landscape plan and the final site plan to be approved by the design review committee.

Scott, a city staff member, told the commission that the application covers two properties and a portion of a third, including a restaurant and a vacant residence, and that the properties’ future land-use designation is commercial. “Therefore, this request is in conformance with the city's comprehensive plan,” Scott said, and staff recommended approval of the rezoning with the submitted site plan and revised conditions.

After a brief public hearing and no public commenters recorded, a commissioner moved to send the rezoning request forward to the council with the attached conditions; the motion was seconded and passed by unanimous vote.

The commission’s action forwards the item to the city council; final land‑use approval and any permit issuance remain subject to council review and any subsequent conditions or approvals required by city code.