Johns Creek Planning Commission Meeting – December 2, 2025
Johns Creek Planning Commission Meeting – December 2, 2025
The Johns Creek Planning Commission held its regular meeting on December 2, 2025. The primary agenda item was a rezoning petition (RZ-25-0003) to change the conditions on an existing office-institutional (O-I) zoned property to allow a wellness and recovery center. The commission voted 6-0-1 (with one abstention) to recommend approval with modified conditions.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of November 5, 2025, Meeting Minutes: The minutes were approved unanimously by voice vote.
Recusal
- Chairman Arthur Holst recused himself from the rezoning case due to his role as Vice Chairman of Emory Johns Creek Hospital. Vice Chairman Horton assumed the chair for that agenda item.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Opposition: Several residents spoke against the proposal. Key concerns included:
- Lack of adequate notification – the yellow sign said “wellness and recovery,” not “drug rehab,” leading to confusion and low attendance.
- Safety risks from potential patient escapes, despite the applicant’s assurances.
- Negative impact on property values and the character of the quiet residential neighborhood.
- Proximity to Finley Oaks Elementary School (less than half a mile) and residential areas 300 feet away.
- Statistical success rate of 30-50% for addiction treatment; one speaker shared a personal story of a family member escaping from a similar facility.
- Questions about the hospital’s potential use of the facility for discharging homeless or indigent patients.
- Support: No public speakers spoke in support. The applicant’s team (including representatives from Emory Johns Creek Hospital and the operator TRT Recovery) presented the proposal and answered questions later.
Discussion Items
- Land Use Petition RZ-25-0003: The request was to change the conditions of an existing O-I (conditional) zoning to allow a wellness and recovery center at 12050 Finley Road (7.69 acres). The existing building (35,361 sq. ft., 96 beds) was previously a memory care facility. The applicant, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, proposed to own the facility, with TRT Recovery, LLC as operator. The center would serve adults (18+) voluntarily seeking treatment for anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance use disorders. The average length of stay is 28 days. The facility would be licensed by the state and accredited by the Joint Commission. Traffic would decrease from 278 to 209 daily trips. Staff recommended approval with nine conditions.
- Commissioner Questions and Amendments:
- Commissioner Katzen requested a “no-climb” fence specification for the proposed 8-foot perimeter fence (condition #4).
- Commissioner Anand requested landscaping screening in sparsely vegetated areas around the fence (new condition #10).
- Commissioner Anand also suggested no pylon sign; the applicant agreed to limit signage to a street number only, which the director noted is permissible under content-neutral sign regulations.
- The applicant confirmed that the facility has no day-release programs, accepts only private insurance or private pay, screens out sex offenders, acute psychiatric patients, and violent offenders, and has 24/7 medical staff with 30-minute checks.
Key Outcomes
- Vote: The commission voted 6-0-1 to recommend approval of RZ-25-0003 with the staff-recommended conditions as amended by the additional no-climb fence and landscaping screening conditions. Chairman Holst abstained.
- Next Steps: The case will be heard by the Johns Creek City Council on Monday, December 8, 2025, at the same location. The council may accept, reject, or modify the commission’s recommendation.
- Departmental Updates: Staff reported no new cases for January 2025. A training workshop for commissioners is being planned for later in January, with dates to be coordinated via email.
- Awards: The Community Development Department received two awards: a Livable Centers Initiative Award from the Atlanta Regional Commission and a Large Redevelopment Project of the Year award for the Town Center boardwalk.
Meeting Transcript
I always love doing that, you know. That was a good one, right? I'm getting better with that. Okay. Good evening, everybody. Um I'd like to call the planning, I like to call the December 2nd meeting of the City of Johns Creek Planning Commission to order. At this time, I'd like to ask everyone to please silence or turn off your cell phone. This planning commission is a recommending body to the mayor and to the city council, and we follow guidelines in conjunction with the public hearings to assist in formulating a recommendation. Copies of the planning committee procedures and staff reports are available at the entrance to the chamber. The presiding officer will call cases on the agenda for public hearing. First, the presiding officer shall recognize the planning staff to make a presentation of the case with their recommendations, and then we will open the public hearing. The applicant shall receive a time period of 10 minutes to present their case. If there is any concurrent variance, each shall be granted the applicant an additional 10 minutes. The time is kept by the planning staff who are sitting over here. The applicant may choose to use their entire allotment or reserve a portion of their time for rebuttal. Any member of the hearing body, upon recognition by the presiding officer, may ask questions of the applicant or agent of the application. The period of questions from the planning commission is not deducted from the applicant's time period. Opposition is granted an equal time period per the application to present data, evidence, and their opinions. If a large number of people wish to speak in opposition, it is advisable to designate a spokesperson to make that presentation. The city is not obligated to provide the full time period to opponents if they elect not to use their time, and the opposition is not granted a rebuttal period. Any member of the hearing body, upon recognition by the presiding officer, may ask questions of any person giving public comment. After completing this process, the presiding officer will indicate that the public hearing is now closed. Upon closing the public hearing, the planning commission can no longer be addressed by the applicant or by the opposition. The planning commission may ask questions of the city staff at that time. Once all questions have been asked and addressed, the presiding officer will call for a motion and are properly seconded, will call for a vote on the matter. The presiding officer will then state the vote and recommendation for the record. I would ask everybody when we have a number of people to ask to act courteously and refrain from any outbursts or comments, etc. from the audience. We'll manage that up from up here. I would like to recognize all the commissioners who are in attendance, starting on my right with Commissioner Horton, Commissioner Carnwall, Commissioner Jackson, I'm Arthur Holst, Commissioner Anand, Commissioner Ross, and Commissioner Katzen on the far your right. All right. The first order of business tonight is approval of the November 5th. We did not have a meeting in December, so the November 5th Oh, wait, today is December, sorry. Fast forwarding here. November 5th meeting minutes. Did everybody get a chance to review it? Can I get a motion to approve? I'll make a motion to approve. Okay. Can I get a second? Second time. Okay. All those in favor? Say aye. All right. The first order of business is a land use position, but I have a statement to make here first, just to kind of change the order here for the uh for the program of events this evening. Um I have been involved as the vice chairman and incoming chairman of Emory Johns Creek Hospital for the last four years. And since this case involves Emory Johns Creek Hospital, but for the record, the Board of Johns of Emory Johns Creek Hospital has nothing to do with this decision, and we are not involved in any discussions on it. We are we are an advisory board only. We are not an operating board to run the hospital per se, because obviously they have a competent staff over there.
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