Mableton Form-Based Code Now a Reality

Mableton now has an official form-based code for its new redevelopment district. The Cobb Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the Mableton Form-Based Redevelopment Code at their Tuesday night meeting.

After holding the third and final public hearing on the nearly 70 code amendments, the board voted for the approval of the code.

This new form-based code will allow for the creation of a town center area in Mableton that accommodates seniors and creates a sense of place.

For one week in June, citizens, property owners and business owners were invited to participate in the Mableton design charette, which consisted of 12 representatives from Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, which Thompson called one of the best urban design and planning firms in the country, who met with Mableton community members for five small group meetings and six open house meetings.  Two subsequent meetings were held with Mableton Improvement Coalition at later times and one last general public meeting was held in November.

For a breakdown about the details of the code, click .

On Feb. 8, the BOC approved a master plan that would be used as a guide for new developments in the designated redevelopment district in Mableton. South Cobb Patch obtained a copy of the 111-page Mableton Illustrative Master plan, and these are the highlights: neighborhood structures, proposed and existing transit networks/connections diagrams, proposed and existing thoroughfare networks diagrams, proposed greenway activity diagrams, walking loops and signage diagrams and civic buildings drawings and plans. For a breakdown of the plan, click

Most of the dozen speakers during the public hearing were Mableton residents who were in favor of the Mableton form-based code, although a representative from the Canton Road Neighbors Association and from the East Cobb Civic Association also spoke in support of the code.

A few people voiced their opposition to the code, none of whom lived in Mableton.

Trisha Clemmons of the Northeast Homeowners Association said the code is “severely flawed” and is “really unnecessary to accomplish development.”

Clemmons also said she doubted that every Mableton resident had input on the issue.

Clemmons brought up one of the main issues expressed by those opposed to the new code, which is that citizens and public officials would be giving up their ability to have input on developments in the area.

Ben Clopper, president of the Mableton Improvement Coalition, said, “One of the most exciting parts is the review committee…This actually gives us more input than we have now.”

The review committee, which includes two citizen representatives, must give approval even at the lowest level about new development proposals.

Commissioner Woody Thompson, who represents South Cobb, also said that the area of the redevelopment district is currently zoned mostly General Commercial, and under this zoning there are 40 “intense” uses that can occur without any community input at all.

With the new form-based code, property owners can opt for traditional zoning if they choose.

Before making a motion for the board to vote on the code, Thompson said, “This is somewhat of an old area and, quite frankly, a dead area,” adding that it is the core of the original Mableton area, however.

No major changes to the code had been made, just some portions of it were moved to the “intent” section and the entire process of having the community involved in creating the code, including the design charrette held last June and other public meetings, was added as well.

Commissioner Bob Ott, who represents southeast Cobb, said before the vote, “What we’ve done is removed the things people found objectionable.”

 About 25 people at the meeting raised their hands in favor of the code when Commissioner Jo Ann Birrell, who represents Northeast Cobb, asked for a show of hands. Approximately five people raised their hands to show opposition to the code.

“I think it’s just absolutely great. It’s a vote of confidence in a community coming together to make a plan,” said Robin Meyer, chairwoman of the Mableton Improvement Coalition, after the decision. “It will improve and grow. It’s something specific that we can be aiming for.”