City Of Brentwood: Brentwood Leaders Approves New Zoning District

Press release from the City of Brentwood:

11/23/2021

All land within Brentwood is classified in one of thirteen zoning districts that determine what the land can be used for and lot sizes.  At the Monday, November 22 regular Brentwood City Commission meeting, Commissioners approved a fourteenth option for zoning to preserve the scenic and historic qualities of one of the oldest stretches of Brentwood, along the Old Smyrna Road corridor.

The new Agricultural Residential Estate -- Innovative Project zone or AR-IP, will provide greater flexibility by allowing a minimum lot size of two acres, while still maintaining Brentwood’s overall one unit per three-acre density of the regular Agriculture Residential, or AR zoning district.   The current AR zoning provides for larger estate type lots with a minimum size of three acres and general agricultural uses. The property along the historic Old Smyrna Road corridor is an example of AR zoned property.

If property owners want to pursue changing their property to the new zone, lots as small as two acres are allowed as long as, they maintain an overall density of no more than one unit per three acres.  Property owners can also design lots abutting Old Smyrna with setbacks that are smaller in the front yard and larger in the rear yard, making it easier to create more distance between new homes and Old Smyrna Road.  The existing AR-zoned parcels are only required to have a rear yard setback of 75’ along Old Smyrna, the new district would provide for a setback of 100’ in addition to a 50’ landscaped buffer.  The front yard setback would be reduced from 175’ to 100’, and side yard setbacks would decrease from 50’ to 30’.  Brentwood City Commissioner Ken Travis said, “I think there are people in Brentwood that are pleased we are doing this. This is really good, and we thank staff for studying this and presenting us with this solution.”

The traditional AR zoning district was originally established and assigned to the eastern portion of town according to the zoning map from 1973.  It was meant to provide additional green space along arterial streets within the City.  Over the years the area of AR has diminished due to rezoning and development.  City Manager Kirk Bednar said, “we hope that the added flexibility of the new AR-IP zoning district will be the mechanism that helps to protect the natural beauty of an area known for its historic dry stacked stone walls and notable tree canopy.” 

 You can read more about Brentwood’s current zonings districts here.

This press release was produced by the City of Brentwood. The views expressed here are the author’s own.