City Council

City of Fairburn Work Session Agenda July 13, 2026 6:00 PM The Honorable Mayor Hattie Portis-Jones The Honorable Anatavia M. Benson The Honorable Linda J. Davis The Honorable Fannie Mae Houser The Honorable Shanita Nichols The Honorable Samuel Perry The Honorable Ulysses J. Smallwood Mr. Tony Phillips City Administrator Mr. Rory Starkey City Attorney Ms. Deannia Ray City Clerk I. Meeting Called to Order: Hattie Portis-Jones, Mayor II. Roll Call: City Clerk III. Agenda Items: 1. Zoning Update (Planning & Zoning) IV. Adjournment: When an Executive Session is required, one will be called for the following Issues: (1) Personnel (2) Real Estate or (3) Litigation Page 1 of 16  CITY OF FAIRBURN WORK SESSION AGENDA ITEM SUBJECT: Zoning Update ITEM TYPE: Other/Planning and Zoning SUBMITTED: 07/08/2026 WORK SESSION: 07/13/2026 COUNCIL MEETING: N/A DEPARTMENT: Planning & Zoning BUDGET IMPACT: N/A PUBLIC HEARING: No PURPOSE: For the Mayor and City Council to provide feedback on the proposed text amendment regarding Jurisdiction Boundary Line District, Coworking Space, Community Meeting requirement and housing policies. HISTORY: N/A FACTS AND ISSUES: The Planning & Zoning Department will present four (4) items to the Mayor and City Council for discussion at this work session: Three (3) proposed text amendments to Chapter 80 of the City Code (Zoning) and one (1) policy briefing on attainable housing. These items have been developed by staff in response to emerging development patterns, procedural gaps, and regional housing trends, and are brought forward at this time to solicit Council direction prior to advancing any item through the formal amendment process. There is no formal action requested. Each item will be presented for discussion and feedback only; any resulting ordinance or policy changes would return to the Council through the standard review and public hearing process before adoption. The items under discussion are as follows: • The first establishes a new zoning district framework to govern development that physically spans the boundary between Fairburn and an adjacent jurisdiction, paired with a required intergovernmental agreement between the affected governing authorities. • The second introduces coworking space as a defined commercial use category, addressing a gap in the current code and establishing where such uses may be located and what standards apply. Page 2 of 16  • The third would require applicants to hold a community meeting prior to certain Planning & Zoning hearings, adding a public engagement step without altering the underlying land use or hearing process. • The fourth is an informational briefing on a four-pillar housing strategy intended to guide future policy addressing the preservation, production, protection, and enabling regulation of attainable housing stock within the City. FUNDING SOURCE: N/A RECOMMENDED ACTION: N/A ATTACHMENTS: 1. 07_13_2026 Page 3 of 16  02 — Agenda City of Fairburn · Planning & Zoning Four separate items. Three text amendments to Chapter 80 (Zoning), followed by a discussion item on the Missing Middle Housing & Neighborhood Stewardship framework. framework. ITEM 01 ITEM 02 ITEM 03 ITEM 04 JBL: Jurisdiction Coworking Space: new use Community Meeting Housing — Missing Middle Boundary Line District class requirement framework Text Amendment Text Amendment Text Amendment Discussion · Plan Defines coworking as a distinct commercial use, Requires one applicant-led community meeting Establishes a zoning framework for development that Briefing on the four-pillar Neighborhood Stewardship establishes permitted districts, concept review, and before P&Z hearing for rezonings, SUPs, and physically crosses jurisdictional boundaries, paired Strategy operational standards. concurrent variances. with an intergovernmental agreement. Mayor & City Council Work Session · June 2026 0 2 / 1 5Page 4 of 16  Origin Initiated in response to a recommendation from Michelle Battle, a developer and attorney based in South Fulton. Item 01 of 04 · Text Amendment Purpose & Applicability A district designed for one specific situation: development that physically crosses the City line. Three stated purposes Accommodate coordinated development of contiguous properties along jurisdictional boundaries with an adjacent i. governing authority. Chapter 80 · Article II ii. Allow consistent application of zoning regulations on properties split between jurisdictions. JBL: iii. Provide a framework for intergovernmental cooperation, efficient service delivery, and orderly growth. Jurisdiction Boundary Line District Limitation of applicability The JBL District applies only to projects that physically cross jurisdictional boundaries. It does not apply to properties wholly within Fairburn unless they are part of a unified cross-jurisdictional development subject to an intergovernmental agreement. 03 / 15 Page 5 of 16 Item 01 · JBL District 05 — Discussion Considerations What a cross-boundary project actually involves Nine areas staff will brief Council on when an applicant brings one. Jurisdiction & annexation Zoning & land use conflicts 01 Boundary verification, primary-jurisdiction designation, IGA 02 Where adjacent districts disagree on permitted use, density, scope. dimensions. Permitting requirements Utility availability & capacity 03 Coordinated submittals, dual review, sequencing of approvals. 04 Water, sewer, electric, which provider serves which portion. approvals. portion. Transportation & GDOT Taxes & impact fees 05 State route impacts, driveway permits, TIA, signal coordination. 06 Property tax cost allocation per the IGA; school, water, coordination. transportation fees. Environmental due diligence Market considerations 07 Wetlands, stream buffers, floodplain, Phase I ESA, tree canopy. 08 Demand context, product mix, comparable cross-boundary canopy. boundary precedents. Illustrative site Staff to circulate a written due-diligence checklist covering all nine areas with each cross-boundary Example: Fairburn/ South Fulton boundary Recommended next step application. 0 5 / 1 5Page 6 of 16 JBL Page 7 of 16 What an applicant must submit, and what the cities must sign One plan. One agreement 11. REQUIRED BY THE APPLICANT 2 REQUIRED BETWEEN THE CITIES Unified Development Plan Service Agreement (IGA) Submitted jointly to both governing authorities. Binding, executed before rezoning is finalized. Must address, at a minimum • Site layout for the entire project • Zoning classifications of both jurisdictions • Public service delivery • Permitting & inspections • Density calculations • Plans for infrastructure • Infrastructure responsibilities • Enforcement authority • Utility service provider documentation • Traffic impact analysis • Property tax cost allocation • Dispute resolution • Stormwater management plan • Phasing plan • Draft intergovernmental agreement (IGA) Principal uses permitted in JBL are limited to those lawfully permitted on the Hard rule contiguous property in the adjacent jurisdiction, verified by a zoning verification letter at complete application. No building permit shall be issued until the agreement is fully executed and approved. 04 / 15 Page 8 of 16  Item 02 of 04 · Text Amendment Proposed Definition "A building or portion thereof used by multiple independent individuals, entrepreneurs, professionals, or businesses who share common work areas, facilities, and services… typically on a membership, subscription, or license basis." Chapter 80 · New Use Class WHY THIS AMENDMENT: RATIONALE Coworking Economic development Adaptive reuse Residential protection Regulatory clarity Space. Supports entrepreneurship, small- small-business incubation, incubation, and workforce Activates underutilized commercial, office, and flex flex buildings. Explicit prohibition in residential districts; buffer yards near single-family. Removes interpretation burden on staff & uncertainty for applicants. Existing zoning was built for traditional office space. Coworking workforce flexibility. Coworking is a distinct category with different occupancy occupancy patterns, membership models, and amenity needs, needs, so it gets its own definition, permitted districts, and and operational standards. 07 / 15 Page 9 of 16 Page 10 of 16 Coworking Space Page 11 of 16  Item 02 · Coworking Space 08 — Districts & Concept Review Where it's allowed and the regulations before opening Six districts. No occupational tax certificate without concept review. Permitted Use · Six districts Concept Review · Required Submittals before the OTC issues. DTMU C-1 Downtown Mixed-Use Neighborhood Commercial Floor plan C-2 O&I i. To scale, with work areas, ingress & egress. General Commercial Office & Institutional Boundary survey ii. By a licensed surveyor (unless one is current). M-1 M-2 Light Industrial Heavy Industrial Interior modification plan iii. Partitions, fire egress, occupant-load impacts. Parking plan iv. Required spaces, accessible & bicycle parking. Reviewed by P&Z Commission at a regular meeting. Concept approval is not a building permit or certificate of occupancy. 08 / 15 Page 12 of 16  Item 03 of 04 · Text Amendment Applicability · four trigger applications When the meeting is required. 01 02 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Rezoning (Zoning Map Amendment) 03 04 Use Permit Concurrent Variance Chapter 80 · Article VIII (new) §§ (b)–(d) — Timing & notice rules Community 15 1000′ 30′ Meeting Calendar days, minimum Between mailed/posted notice and the community Mailed-notice radius Regular mail to all property owners within 1,000 Minutes for Q&A Allocated for questions and comments from requirement. meeting — and between the meeting and the P&Z feet of the subject property, per City GIS tax attendees at the meeting itself. public meeting. records. Not permitted on One applicant-led meeting before the P&Z public meeting. Informational only, The first Tuesday of the month, or the first, second, or fourth Monday : to protect existing public-meeting it does not replace the statutory public hearing. calendars. 10 / 15 Page 13 of 16  Item 03 · Community Meeting 11 — Duties & Noncompliance Applicant Requirements: § (g) — Submitted before scheduling § (c) — Applicant responsibilities Notice package Four duties ​Confirmation of the sign posting i. Organize and conduct the community meeting. ​Copy of the mailed notice (no City logo permitted) ​Mailing list of recipients Secure a venue within the City limits or in reasonable proximity to the subject ii. property. ​Proof of mailing iii. Provide the required posted & mailed notice. § (g) — Submitted after meeting iv. Prepare and submit all documentation required by this section. Meeting summary ​Date & location · sign-in sheet ​Approximate number of attendees § (h) — Effect of noncompliance ​Summary of questions & concerns raised Failure to conduct the meeting or provide proper notice renders the application incomplete and delays scheduling of any public hearing. ​How the applicant addressed concerns (or will) The amendment does not alter land use classifications, density allowances, or development intensity , the statutory public hearing remains the only forum for decision-making. 1 1 / Page 1 5 14 of 16 Community Meeting Page 15 of 16 Item 04 · Missing Middle Housing Plan The Four-Pillar Neighborhood Stewardship Strategy Pillar 01 Pillar 02 Pillar 03 Pillar 04 Preservation Production Protection Policy Protect existing affordable stock. Build attainable & affordable units. Stabilize current residents. The enabling pillar. Demand for attainable housing will continue to outpace The most cost-effective stewardship tool. It is far cheaper Access to resources, education and information about outpace supply through 2028, with the greatest unmet to keep an existing affordable unit in service than to build residents from eviction, rent shocks, tax assessment, Zoning, regulatory, and planning tools. unmet need among households earning $50K–$85K. a new one. foreclosure, and predatory purchasing. $85K. Key initiatives Key initiatives Key initiatives Key initiatives 1 3 / 1Page 5 16 of 16