In a recent called meeting, Dalton City Council members voted 4-0 to approve a request by Amanda Brown to rezone to limited commercial from medium-density, single-family residential 0.36 acres at 524 and 526 W. Hawthorne St. Brown is the executive director of the Creative Arts Guild.
Ethan Calhoun, a planner with the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission who handles zoning staff work for the city, said the Guild plans to use existing houses on those properties for storage or for classrooms. He said in the future the Guild may demolish the houses for additional parking for its main building, which is across the street, but there are no immediate plans to do so. Calhoun said if the owners make any changes to the properties such as razing the buildings to create parking or to construct new buildings they would have to create a buffer of at least 15 feet next to any residential properties.
The council members also voted 4-0 to:
• Approve a request by RW Sales to rezone to high-density residential from heavy manufacturing 0.28 acres at 433 Spencer St. The owner plans to build two double-unit townhouse buildings on the property.
• Approve a request by East Morris Properties to rezone to central business district from general commercial 0.62 acres at 222 E. Morris St., with the condition that the owners preserve at least 25 parking places. The property is the former site of Miller Auto Repair, which was destroyed in a fire in 2020. The owner plans to remodel the building.
• Approve a request by East Morris Properties to rezone to central business district from heavy manufacturing 0.17 acres at 411 S. Glenwood Ave., with a condition that there be at least five parking places for each 1,000 square feet of leasable commercial space. The owner plans to build a commercial building on the site.
Mayor David Pennington typically votes only if there is a tie.