Council Rejects Bid To Rezone House For Office Use

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- The Sandy Springs City Council shot down a plan that would have allowed for the conversion of a home in a neighborhood into an office.

Council members unanimously voted to deny a request to rezone two parcels at 0 Roswell Road and 6691 Sunnybrook Lane from R-3 (single family residential) and A-O (apartment office) to O-I (office institutional).

The rezoning would have allowed the applicant to convert the existing home into an office for his company, Lefko Properties, a design-build and contracting company.

In its summary, city staff note "potential issues exist" with the on-site sewage management system, as the home is currently served by a septic tank and field.

Marc Lefkovits, the applicant in the case, said his company was a small business that would not operate any commercial vehicles, and would not generate the amount of traffic that would disrupt the lives of his neighbors.

While the company could eventually relocate to another site, Lefkovits said his venture had no plans to expand its current footprint on the property.

Residents who live near the property said they worried that the approval could open the door for future commercial ventures to set up shop in the neighborhood. They also expressed concerns about the increase in traffic that could occur as a result of the business if the rezoning were approved.

Council member Chris Burnett said he was concerned about the rezoning and the impact it could have on surrounding single family homes. Fellow Councilman Ken Dishman said while he was "sympathetic" to Lefkovits's plight, the proposal would still invite additional traffic into the neighborhood.

Council member Gabriel Sterling, who said he was "torn about this as well," argued that any O-I use should tie into existing sewer lines, three of which he said were available for the property to tap into.

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