In Carrollton the area of Cedar Street has been popular lately for developers to make requests for rezonings and proposed commercial space and neighborhoods. One existing business owner has joined the club by going before the Carrollton Planning and Zoning Commission to make a rezoning request for their property. Property Owner Ronna Bush, is requesting the rezoning of 527 Cedar Street from R-10 (Single Family Residential) to Non-Residential PD (Planned Development).
The purpose of this request is to expand her existing 1,250 square-foot neighborhood health and wellness studio, Anchor Fitness, which has been there since 2016. According to Community Development Director Erica Studdard currently the property is considered existing legal non-conforming, and any form of expansions would require a rezoning. This is a .45 acre tract of land on the south side of Cedar Street between White Street and Bankhead Highway. It is a neighborhood-scale workout facility; and according to Bush, about 10 percent of her clients live in the surrounding area and walk or bike to the facility.
According to Studdard, the applicant wants to build the expansion because it will solve a space problem for the business as well as a problem with cut-through traffic between Bankhead Highway and Cedar Street. Approximately 50 to75 cars and pedestrians cut through her parking lot on a daily basis with some cars speeding, making it difficult to conduct outdoor classes. According to Bush, there has also been an issue with some pedestrians breaking into vehicles. Bush is proposing to construct an additional 1,200 square feet to the building. An existing parking lot with 19 spaces is adjacent to Cedar Street, serves the existing facility, and is adequate to accommodate the proposed expansion, per Studdard’s staff analysis. There was one neighbor at the planning and zoning meeting speaking in favor with no one speaking in opposition according to Studdard. The Carrollton City Council will make a final decision on this rezoning request at their August 7 meeting at 6:00 P.M.
