Minutes 10/14/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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J. '- TUESDAY OCTOBER 14, 1980 Pursuant to duly-advertised notice, Council conducted a public hearing on a proposal-- recommended by the Planning Commission--that the City's Comprehensive Plan & Land Use Map be amended to reflect reclassifications (to "Low Density", "Low Medium Density", and/or "Private Open Space") of certain tracts of land owned by Lanier Farm, Inc., by The Whittle Family Trust, and by certain individuals, said tracts being located in the Forest Park-Druid Hills areas. The Planning Commission's report and recommendations on this proposal are as follows: In April, 1979, the Planning Commission submitted to City Council a recommended Comprehensive Plan update for Year 2000. Public Hearings were then held by Council on June 10, 1979, and on July 24, 1979. During these hearings representatives of Lanier Farm, Inc., Whittle Family Trust, and others objected to the designation of the undeveloped park areas as shown on the Lanier Farm's general development plan as "Permanent Open Space." A number of residents expressed concern about the proposed development of these areas and suggested strongly that these areas should remain open space. After considerable discussion of the matter and on receiving an opinion from the City Attorney that "the City cannot lawfully deprive any property owner of his or her right to usage of land without proper compensation", Council referred the matter back to the Planning Commission with the request that the Commission give further study and consideration to these areas and to hold such meetings as deemed appropriate with the land owners and citizens living in the area in an effort to resolve the matter. Recognizing the need to finalize the Comprehensive Plan, the Planning Commission on August 7, 1979, voted to recommend to Council that the Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Map be adopted except for the open space areas located in the southeast section of the City (Forest Park-Druid Hills area). This recommendation was made with the understanding that all concerned parties would continue to study and discuss the areas in question in an effort to arrive at a unified recommendation. Following the Commission's recommendation, Council adopted the Comprehensive Plan Update on August 13, 1979, excluding the areas in question. During ensuing months, conferences were held between representatives of Lanier Farm, Inc., Whittle Family Trust, and the City Administration in an effort to determine the development feasibility of the various open space areas from an engineering point of view. Letters were written to key property owners abutting the areas that were considered to be developable indicating the willingness of Lanier Farm, Inc., to discuss sale of these areas to the adjacent property owners as an approach to insure the continuance of these areas as open space. Discussions were held between Lanier Farm, Inc. and various property owners abutting these areas concerning such an arrangement. Discussions were also held between Lanier Farm, Inc., and land owners abutting areas not considered to be developable in an effort to arrive at a method of insuring the continuance of these areas as open space.