Appendix E. URBAN DESIGN DISTRICT (CENTRAL AREA)  

INTRODUCTION

Using Smyrna's Urban Design Standards

This document contains standards for new construction, building rehabilitation and public improvements within the Downtown Design District overlay zone that has been adopted by the City of Smyrna to encourage the orderly development within and along the edges of its Central Business District and to promote compatibility with the Future Land Use Plan. The Urban Design Standards are supplementary to the City of Smyrna's Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Sign Ordinance, Subdivision Regulations, and Landscape Ordinance. They are intended to inter-relate with Urban Design Guidelines adopted for other sections of the City such as the South Atlanta Road Corridor and Spring Road Corridor. These Standards apply only to exterior features that affect the quality of the public environment. Interior features and land uses are not a concern of the Urban Design Commission.

The format of the Urban Design Standards are designed to provide the property owner, builder or developer a clear description of the criteria utilized for review by the Urban Design Commission. Graphic illustrations of the design standards are provided in this document. A Check List is provided at the end of the Introduction Section with which to evaluate the proposed project prior to submittal for review. The Applicant should thoroughly read the detailed standards that are found in the specific sections of the document. If there are any questions, the Applicant should contact the Community Development Department at 770-319-5387.

Downtown Smyrna: Historical and Future Development Trends

Smyrna's origins go back to 1832 when members of several denominations held camp meetings on a site near the intersection of modern day Spring Street and Atlanta Road. A Methodist Church was organized from this campground in 1838. Western & Atlantic Railroad built through the site in 1842, and the rail stop was first known as Ruffs Siding and then later as Varner's Station. Eventually, the community decided to name itself Smyrna after the Smyrna Methodist Church located near the village center.

The railroad attracted new residents and buildings to Smyrna. In 1850 a two-story brick school for boys, known as the Smyrna Academy, was erected on the present site of the Masonic Lodge. It was the only structure in the village center to survive the Civil War. Smyrna was incorporated as a town in 1872, and benefited from the Northwest Georgia cotton boom in the late 1800s.

However, just when much of the region's economy began to collapse in the 1890s due to low cotton prices, plans were announced to build the Atlanta & Marietta Electric Railway. It was the trolley car that set the pattern of Smyrna's development. Houses and shops clustered within walking distance of the trolley stops. The typical commercial building was a one-story brick structure catering to the needs of the local population. Beyond walking distance, the development density was rural in character. Throughout the early twentieth century Smyrna evolved into a prosperous suburban "bedroom town" for Atlanta. Residents could live in what was then the country, and take a 20-to-45-minute ride to work into Atlanta. The trolley cars continued operation until shortly after World War II.

Since World War II, Smyrna's fortunes have been increasingly tied to regional and national conditions. The closure of the nearby Bell Bomber plant after World War II initiated a period of economic stagnation. The plant's reopening in the early 1950s as a Lockheed plant brought prosperity back again. During the late 1950s Belmont Hills Shopping Center opened with the largest parking lot in the Southeast. In the 1960s a larger South Cobb Mall took commercial preeminence in the county. In the 1970s Cumberland Mall became the largest commercial center in the area. Throughout this time Downtown Smyrna's retail functions shifted to these shopping centers, and the Downtown primarily became a place of local government services.

Throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the traditional downtown of Smyrna steadily shrank as brick buildings were demolished for roads, parking lots and speculative real estate. The economic functions of the "downtown" deteriorated to the level of insignificance. Meanwhile, the population and economic base of Smyrna grew stronger, creating demands for improved public facilities and services. In 1987, a 17-member citizen advisory committee recommended that the top recreational priority in Smyrna was the development of a community center. In June 1987, a "Library Building Needs Study" established a 20-Year Building Plan requiring a new library.

The City Council took the bold step of proposing an innovative Community Center Complex as the heart of a revitalized center. Smyrna's Downtown Development Authority worked on the project throughout the early and mid-1990s. The finished Community Center Complex has received praise from municipal officials and planners from around the country. The park-like setting of the Community Center Complex provides an attractive location for innovative housing, shops and offices. Smyrna's citizens now pride themselves on this attractive and "user friendly" example of architecture and urban design.

Today the strategy of the City of Smyrna is to utilize public investment and leadership as a magnet for private investment in the downtown area. Increasing gridlock on Atlanta's road system is encouraging employers and employees to seek situations with reduced drive times. Smyrna is strategically located for rapid access to many commercial centers within the Atlanta Region. Therefore, downtown Smyrna is an ideal candidate for continued progressive real estate projects that capitalize on the city's amenities and proximity to housing, shops and employment.

Downtown Development and New Urban Design Standards

The Smyrna Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is composed of seven citizens appointed by the Mayor and City Council. The seven members contribute a variety of backgrounds and expertise, while the Mayor serves as chairman. Smyrna's DDA has the power to issue revenue bonds, purchase land, construct public buildings and lease them back to the municipal government. Concerned about the quality of development in Smyrna's downtown, the DDA formed a "Downtown Design Committee" to prepare architectural design guidelines for the Central Business District. After review by citizens and City Council, the guidelines were refined and an ordinance creating two overlay land use control zones was adopted. An Architectural Design Committee (ADC) was then created in 1991 to review proposed projects.

In 1996, the Mayor and City Council commissioned a Citizen Attitude Survey to gauge voter preferences on a variety of issues relating to future development of the city. Citizens were supportive of the lushly landscaped, pedestrian oriented plan of the Community Center Complex, and preferred this approach to either re-creation of a traditional downtown or development that resembled a typical Atlanta Area Office Park. Survey participants were also supportive of the city's continued efforts to improve the appearance and economic vitality of the road corridors and neighborhood businesses leading into Downtown Smyrna.

The City's leaders responded to citizens' concerns and developed urban design guidelines for its major thoroughfares. The guidelines were adopted in 1997 and 1998. It was also recognized that the existing Architectural Design Guidelines needed revision. Its criteria did not reflect the development of the Community Center Complex, and the desire of the citizenry to encourage the new downtown to be developed along this theme. The criteria was streamlined in 1998 to facilitate interpretation by laymen and City Officials, and the name of the ADC was changed to the Urban Design Commission (UDC) to more accurately reflect the review body's role.

The Smyrna Town Center Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) study was completed and adopted in 2004. The LCI program encourages the creation of higher density community activity centers tied together with pedestrian and bike-friendly transportation facilities. The study recommended expanding the mixed-use concept of the Market Village along Atlanta Road from Concord Road to Windy Hill Road. In order to encourage the redevelopment of the Atlanta Road corridor, the City created the 140-acre Smyrna Tax Allocation District One - Atlanta Road. The district allows the utilization of tax increment financing to offset costs associated with redevelopment. In addition, the City of Smyrna has refined architectural design and site plan requirements and created a new Downtown Design District that corresponds with the tax allocation district boundary.

Boundaries for Downtown Design District

The City of Smyrna has adopted, under its police powers, an "overlay" zoning district, now known as the Downtown Design District. The abbreviated reference to this special regulatory district is the DD District. The DD District follows the same boundaries as the designated Tax Allocation District One - Atlanta Road. The DD District requirements are in addition to the zoning requirements outlined in the City's Zoning Ordinance. The boundaries of the DD District are generally described as CSX Railroad on the east, Spring Road and Concord Road on the south, City Center and the western property line of the Carriage House Apartments on the west, and properties fronting the northern side of Windy Hill Road on the north.

Beginning at the intersection of the northern right-of-way of Windy Hill Road and the western right-of-way of CSX Rail line, also known as the eastern right-of-way of Atlanta Road, proceed southerly along the western right-of-way of CSX Rail line to the southern property line of Parcel 17055900750; thence westerly along the property line of Parcel 17055900750 to the property line of Parcel 17055900620; thence southerly to the southern right-of-way of Spring Road; thence westerly along the southern right-of-way of Spring Road and Concord Road to the western right-of-way of King Street; thence northerly along the western right-of-way of King Street to the southern right-of-way of Church Street; thence westerly along the southern right-of-way of Church Street to the property line of Parcel 17052200780; thence westerly along the southern right-of-way of Church Street to the western right-of-way of Reed Street; thence northerly along the western right-of-way of Reed Street to the northern right-of-way of Stephens Street; thence easterly along the northern right-of-way of Stephens Street to the western border of the City of Smyrna parking lot on Parcel 17052200120; thence northerly along the western border of the City parking lot and then easterly along the northern border of the City parking lot to the western border of the Village Walk roadway; thence northerly along the western border of the Village Walk roadway to the southern right-of-way of Bank Street; thence easterly along the northern property line of Parcel 17052100710; thence northerly and westerly along the property lines of Parcels 17052101260 and 17052101250 to the southern right-of-way of Powder Springs Street; thence westerly to the western right-of-way of Fuller Street; thence northerly along the western right-of-way of Fuller Street to the property line of Parcel 1705200660; then northerly along the western property line of Parcel 1705200660 to its northern property line; thence easterly along the northern property lines of Parcels 1705200660 and 1705200670 to the property line of Parcel 1705200290; thence northerly along the western property line of Parcel 1705200290 to the property line of Parcel 1705200310; thence easterly along the property line of Parcel 1705200290 to the property line of Parcel 17052000320; thence northerly along the property lines of Parcels 1705200320 and 1705200340; thence easterly along the property line of Parcel 1705200340 to the property line of Parcel 1705200360; thence northerly along the property lines of Parcels 1705200360 and 1705200600 to the southern right-of-way of Hill Street; then westerly along the southern right-of-way of Hill Street to the western property line of Parcel 1705200130; then northerly along the western property lines of Parcels 1705200110 and 1705200100 to the southern right-of-way of Fleming Street; then westerly along the southern right-of-way of Fleming Street to the eastern property line of Parcel 17044800030; thence northerly along the eastern property lines of Parcels 17044800020 and 17044800010, such parcels being Campbell High School, to the southern property line of Parcel 17044700030; thence westerly along the southern property lines of Parcels 17044700030, 17041800030, and 17041800010 to the western property line of Parcel 17041800010; thence northerly along the western property lines of Parcels 17041800010 and 17041800040 to the northern right-of-way of Windy Hill Road; thence westerly along Windy Hill Road to the western property line of Parcel 17041900920; thence northerly along the western property line of Parcel 17041900920 to its northern border; thence easterly along the northern borders of Parcels 17041900920, 17041900900, 17041900910, 17041900550, 17041900560, 17041900130, 17041900120, 17041900110, 17041900010, 17041900880, 17044600190, 17044600620, 17044600590, 17044600180, 17044600140, 17044600610, 17044600600, 17044600130, 17044600630, and 17044600120 to the western property line of Parcel 17049100270; thence easterly along the northern property line of Parcel 17049100270 to the western right-of-way of Atlanta Road; then across Atlanta Road to the eastern right-of-way of Atlanta Road, also known as the western right-of-way of CSX Rail line; then southerly to the intersection of the western right-of-way of CSX Rail line with the northern right-of-way of Windy Hill Road, and Point of Beginning.

(Ord. No. 2008-14, 8-18-08)