The Cobb County Board of Commissioners has established a hold on rezoning applications for new student housing projects.
The temporary prohibition will be in effect through July 31, 2018 or until the Board of Commissioners complete two studies for proposed student housing. According to Kennesaw Zoning Administrator Darryl Simmons, the studies will provide strategies and solutions to respond to the demand for student housing requests.
“Our first step is to properly and thoroughly conduct a study that involves research to confirm the population change for the student demographics,” Simmons said.
This study exercise will involve discussions with KSU administration to determine the what new policies KSU is considering as part of its growth strategy.
Dana Johnson, Cobb County’s director of community development, said, “the hold will not affect the request already been filed for student housing next to Fifth Third Bank Stadium.”
The city of Kennesaw has been looking for efficient ways to address the exploding growth in student populations at KSU ever since a Dallas Texas-based real estate agency submitted rezoning plans over the summer to build a 125-unit apartment for KSU students. That rezoning plan was unanimously voted down by Kennesaw City Council.
“This period covered by the moratorium will allow the city planning and zoning department to work collaboratively with the Cobb County Community Development Department to study the student housing market, effects to local infrastructure and service delivery and how to approach this housing type from a land use perspective,” said Kennesaw City Manager Jeff Drobney.
If the two studies are not completed by the deadline, Johnson said the county staff will request an extension of the moratorium.
