City looks to rezone 40 acres on east side

Decatur is looking to rezone nearly 40 acres of the city’s underdeveloped east side from heavy commercial/light industrial to mixed use.

The move is unusual since this rezoning is being driven by the city and not a private developer. But Decatur has had a mixeduse strategy for the site dating to its 2002 Liveable Cities Initiative plan.

According to Assistant City Manager Lyn Menne, there are no developers currently proposing any projects, and there’s no timetable for development.

“Rather than piecemeal zoning we wanted to do it comprehensively,” Menne said. “We want to get all the zoning in place because it includes a (consistent) plan for the area. We want to have trails, green space, a walkable district and streetscapes that match, rather than fast food and drive-thrus.”

The area includes roughly the north side of Talley Street to College Avenue and west to east from South Columbia Drive to the city limits.

About 70 percent of the property is owned by East Decatur Station LLC, but also includes nonEDS properties AT&T and the old Ace Hardware tract.

“Our vision is that several developers do separate projects that would all fit together,” said Jack Honderd, one of three principal partners with East Decatur Station, which began buying in the area around 1990.

“Typically something like this would be done in parcels of two to five acres.”

The rezoning proposal initially comes before the city’s planning commission, 7 p.m., April 10 at City Hall, 509 North McDonough Street, then before the city commission 7:30 p.m. April 16 in the same location.