Wetlands estimates diverge in Macedonia Road apartment review

Powder Springs' September 28 staff report presents different wetlands estimates for the proposed 242-apartment development at 2761 Macedonia Road. Cobb County's annexation objection uses approximately 0.36 acre of wetlands and calculates 24.82 homes per acre. The applicant reports approximately 0.108 acre, which the city report uses to calculate 24.19.

The difference affects density because the city's definition excludes wetlands, floodplains and required stream buffers from the acreage used in the calculation. Both calculations exceed the eight-home-per-acre limit identified in the report. Cobb County says the proposed density is inconsistent with its comprehensive plan.

Staff recommend conditional approval of the linked annexation, rezoning and variance applications, with a maximum of 242 apartments and 24.19 homes per acre. The variance description in the same report requests an increase from eight to 24 homes per acre, not 24.19. The cited sections leave those figures and the differing wetlands measurements unreconciled; the staff recommendation is not a council approval.