City of Norcross Policy Work Session — January 20, 2026

The Norcross City Council convened for a Policy Work Session on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the 2nd Floor Conference Room. The meeting covered a wide range of topics including historic demolition, the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) text amendments, downtown parking policy, sidewalk gap analysis, and a traffic study for Holcomb Bridge Road. All docketed action items were referred to future regular council meetings or work sessions.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kay Nation spoke regarding the demolition permit for 146 North Barton Street (adjacent property). She raised concerns about the proposed new structure's size, questioned the appropriateness of a three-car garage in the historic district, and expressed confusion about the demolition approval process.
• Tixie Fowler spoke in support of Agenda Item No. 3 (text amendments). She apologized for earlier misinformation, praised Planning & Zoning and staff for clear explanations, and encouraged Council approval to build community confidence in future developments.
• Jim Eyre provided comments on multiple items. He recommended Option 3 for downtown parking with cost-based maintenance fees, thanked Council for supporting the DDA's acquisition of 9 South Peachtree, and raised concerns about the Lake Avenue sidewalk location, recommending the north side as the more practical option.
• Mary Dowdy spoke in support of Option 3 for parking. She stated Option 3 was the best option and expressed relief that the Council was backing off from Option 1, which she considered very onerous for current historic building owners as well as future development.
• Joe Beach raised concerns about property owner obligations in historic districts. He expressed concern about a perceived trend of allowing historic buildings to become run down and then demolishing them to build new structures, warning that continuing this trend could result in losing the historic character of Norcross.

Reports & Presentations

• Downtown Development Authority Update: Delivered by Chair Jim Eyre.
• Gateway85 CID Update: Delivered by Executive Director Robert Michener.
• Piedmont Pathway Study and Concept Report: Delivered by Carlos Perez and Len Housley of Heath & Linebeck.
• Green Communities Recertification: Delivered by Crystal Jackson of the Atlanta Regional Commission.
• City Manager's Financial Report: The City Manager provided an overview of the city's financial position, including the technology fund balance, the potential use of restricted funds for capital projects, and the prospect of issuing debt for major infrastructure. Council requested a future breakout of restricted versus general fund spending to inform decision-making.

Discussion Items

1. Historic Demolition and New Home (Item 1, 2025-324) Council discussed the need for a definitive answer from the applicant on what percentage of the historic structure would be preserved or incorporated into the new home. Some members expressed they could not vote on the demolition permit without this clear, binary plan for historic preservation.

2. Rezoning — 5330 Old Norcross Road (Item 2, 2025-433) This matter was discussed and referred to the February 2, 2026 Regular Council Meeting for a decision.

3. UDO Text Amendments (Item 3, 2026-31) Council reviewed proposed amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance. Debate focused on proposed building height regulations (e.g., a height limit trigger relative to residential district adjacency) and the risk of creating unintended zoning loopholes. Council also deliberated on sustainability and parking bonuses related to EV charging stations and bicycle parking, weighing the cost to developers against the community benefit.

4. Downtown Parking Policy (Item 5, 2026-22) Council showed a strong preference for Option 3 but explored a hybrid funding model (Option 4) where downtown businesses pay an annual fee into a dedicated parking fund. This approach was discussed as a way to manage the impact of new developments on existing parking without requiring large upfront costs from individual businesses, creating a sustainable funding source for future parking infrastructure.

5. Sidewalk Data and Gap Analysis (Item 11, 2026-27) Staff presented a new GIS-based analysis identifying sidewalk gaps across the city. Council discussed prioritization criteria, such as connecting to high-traffic destinations and addressing dangerous road crossings. A conversation took place regarding the policy of adding sidewalks on both sides of a street versus a single side, and how to handle instances where residents do not want sidewalks in their neighborhood.

6. Traffic Study and Ownership of Holcomb Bridge Road (Item 12, 2026-35) Council and staff discussed the significant traffic and safety challenges on Holcomb Bridge Road. A traffic study was deemed a necessary first step to gather data. Council explored the pros and cons of the City taking ownership of the road from Gwinnett County, alongside various design concepts like traffic calming, roundabouts, and lane reductions to improve safety and walkability.

Key Outcomes

• All Items Referred: Every agenda item on the discussion list (Items 1 through 12) was discussed and formally referred to future meetings.
• Items referred to the February 2, 2026 Regular Council Meeting:
  • Historic Demolition and New Home (COA2025-027)
  • Rezoning 5330 Old Norcross Road (RZ2025-006)
  • UDO Text Amendments (TEXT2026-001)
  • Final Plat (FP2025-003)
  • Accept and Appropriate NPAC Donations
  • Budget Amendment and Purchase of 9 South Peachtree St.
  • Award of Contract for Stormwater Relining
  • Sale of Property at 993 East Glochester
  • Hydrology Study for Culvert Extension (Norcross Greenway)
  • Sidewalk Data and Gap Analysis
  • Traffic Study and Ownership of Holcomb Bridge Road
• Items referred to the February 16, 2026 Policy Work Session:
  • Downtown Parking Policy
• Adjournment: Councilmember Bare motioned to adjourn to Executive Session at 10:51 PM, seconded by Councilmember Myers. The vote to adjourn was unanimous (4-0).