Johns Creek Planning Commission Approves Church Residential Development and Dog Care Facility (September 1, 2026)
Johns Creek Planning Commission Meeting – September 1, 2026
The Johns Creek Planning Commission met on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 7:00 PM at City Hall Council Chambers. The Commission reviewed two land use petitions: a rezoning and variance for a 48-lot single-family subdivision on the Johns Creek United Methodist Church campus, and a rezoning, special use permit, and variances for an outdoor dog run at an existing pet care facility. Both items were approved with conditions.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the meeting minutes from June 2, 2026, unanimously (6-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- RZ-26-0001 & VC-26-0001 (Church Residential Development): Several church representatives and members spoke in support, highlighting the church's community services and the need for revenue to expand programs. No opposition was voiced.
- RZ-26-0002 & SUP-26-0001 (Puppy Haven Outdoor Dog Run): One resident from the adjacent Kempston Place subdivision spoke in opposition, citing concerns about noise, odor, and the precedent of granting variances. No other public comments were made.
Discussion Items
RZ-26-0001 & VC-26-0001 – Residential Subdivision on Church Property
- Petition: Handsel Holdings, LLC requested rezoning the 21.647-acre site from O-1 (Office-Institutional) to CUP (Community Unit Plan) for a 48-lot single-family detached subdivision at 2.2 units per acre, plus a variance (VC-26-0001) to allow existing church parking within the required 25-foot landscape strip along Bell Road.
- Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions.
- Applicant Presentation: Alex Brock (Smith Gambrell Russell) presented, noting the church's underutilized ball fields would be developed, density is lower than the comp plan's 3 units/acre, and the development would integrate with church amenities (soccer field, playground). The variance maintains existing conditions.
- Commission Questions: Commissioners asked about HOA, gated access (gate 90 feet from Bell Road with ample stacking), school bus stops, lot orientation, traffic impacts at Bell Road/Medlock Bridge intersection (Commissioner Horton expressed concerns about left-turn backups; staff agreed to relay to Public Works), and the side-yard design (zero-lot-line with 10-foot side yard on one side). The church pastor and vision committee chair spoke about community benefits.
- Outcome: Approved 6-0 with staff conditions.
RZ-26-0002 & SUP-26-0001 with Variances – Puppy Haven Outdoor Dog Run
- Petition: Creek Doggy Development, LLC requested rezoning from C-1 (Conditional) to C-2, a special use permit for an animal care facility with an outdoor dog run, and three concurrent variances:
- VC-26-0002: Reduce required 100-foot setback from property lines for building and dog run (closest point ~42.92 feet).
- VC-26-0003: Reduce required 200-foot setback from single-family residential uses.
- VC-26-0004: Reduce required parking from 69 to 40 spaces (existing condition).
- Staff Recommendation: Denial, citing incompatibility with adjacent residential uses, potential noise/odor impacts, and failure to demonstrate hardship.
- Applicant Presentation: Steven Jones (attorney) and Michael Dermer (Puppy Haven executive) argued the 800 sq ft fenced area is solely for dogs to relieve themselves (not play), waste would be picked up immediately, and the use is common at other facilities. They noted the closest residential dwelling is 250 feet away, and the other variances are for existing conditions. The parking variance is needed to match the as-built site.
- Commission Questions: Commissioners explored operational details (maximum dogs at a time ~6, no structural changes to building, no extra trips), noise mitigation (opaque fence), and existing compliance. Staff clarified that leash walks are already permitted, and the outdoor area was previously represented as for employee use only. Commissioner Horton noted the challenge of enforcement.
- Outcome: Approved 5-1 with staff conditions plus two additional conditions:
- A maximum of six dogs allowed in the outdoor area at any one time.
- The existing fence must be replaced with an 8-foot minimum height, 8-inch thick CMU (concrete masonry unit) wall with exterior finish matching the building, fully grouted, and landscaping (evergreen shrubs/trees) installed along the outside of the wall.
Key Outcomes
- RZ-26-0001 & VC-26-0001: Approved 6-0 (recommendation to City Council for approval with staff conditions).
- RZ-26-0002, SUP-26-0001, and concurrent variances (VC-26-0002, VC-26-0003, VC-26-0004): Approved 5-1 (recommendation to City Council for approval with staff and additional commission conditions).
Meeting Transcript
All right, good evening. My name's Arthur Holse, and I'd like to call the September 1st. Believe it, it's already September 1st. Meeting of the City of Johns Creek Planning Commission to order. At this time, I would like to ask everyone to please silence or turn off your cell phone. This body, the planning commission, is a recommending body to the mayor and the city council, and we follow guidelines in conjunction with the public hearing to assist in formulating a recommendation. Copies of the Planning Commission's procedures and staff reports are available at the entrance to this chamber here in the back. 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 recommendations, and then we will open to a public hearing. The applicant shall receive a time period of 10 minutes to present their case. If there is any concurrent variance, which we have tonight, each shall grant the applicant an additional 10 minutes. After completing this process, the presiding officer will indicate that the public hearing is closed. And upon that closing of the public hearing, the planning commission will no longer be addressed or cannot be addressed any longer by the applicant or opposition. The planning commission may ask questions of city staff at that time. And once all questions have been asked and addressed, the presiding officer will call for a motion, and if properly seconded, will call for a vote on the matter on the matter. The presiding officer will then state the vote and recommendation for the record. I would like to ask all to act courteously and refrain from any outbursts or comments from the audience. That's why they give me this handy dandy like. I've only had to use it once or twice here, just so you know. I would like to recognize my uh uh colleagues up on the stage, um, Commissioner Horton, Commissioner Cal Couch, Commissioner Carnwall, Commissioner Katzen, um Commissioner Anon could not be with us, and obviously Commissioner Judith Roth here on my left. Uh at this point, the first item of business on our agenda is to review the meeting minutes from June, right? Where am I? Yes. Where is my June, right? I'll make a motion to approve meeting minutes. I'll second. Great. All those in favor. Motion passes six to zero. The the first item of business on the agenda for this evening is zoning. Wait a second, sorry. Reading up the wrong thing. Is um land use petition RZ-26 0001 and concurrent variants VC-26-001. I was looking at the wrong thing. Hello, Planning Commission. I'm Tyler Barron, Planner 3 here with the city. This is my uh first presentation here to the planning commission, so I uh request your patience and bear with me with a little nerves, all right. This is RZ2601 with concurrent variants VC2601, located at 11180 Medlock Bridge Road with the associated acreage two point or 21.647 acres. Uh with the existing OI zoning. The and a proposed zoning move to C UP Community Unit Plan District. The applicant request the zoning to allow a 48-lot single family detached residential subdivision at a density of 2.2 units per acre on a portion of the existing Johns Creek United Method Methodist Church, JCUMC campus. VC2601 is to allow existing parking within the required 25-foot landscape strip along Bell Road. Belmore Park and its associated HOA Common Area to the northeast, Bell Road Connector, and it's bound by Bell Road Connector and Bell Road to the southeast and south, and Medlock Bridge Road to the west. You can see in this graphic here the location of all those items. The site is currently zoned OI Conditional pursuant to RZ09-006 and SUP09-003, allowing for a church and accessory uses, a scout center, and 10 recreational fields. The site is currently improved with a 19 or 190,000 square foot church building, those recreational fields, and 510 parking spaces. Access to the site is provided by one right-in-right out off of Medlock Bridge Road, another right in right out, and one full access driveway off of Bell Road. You can see open on the left, and allow a 48-lot single family detached residential development at a density of 2.2 units per acre on the eastern portion of the property, highlighted there with the dashed red line. These lots have a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet. The remaining 33 lots shown in yellow have a minimum lot size of 36,000 square feet.
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