Development proposal draws concern for Woodstock mobile home community: "These people deserve to live here..."

The Woodstock Planning Commission partially approved a proposal for the Ansley Park mobile home community property on Thursday.

During Thursday's planning commission meeting, commissioners discussed the annexation of the property into the City of Woodstock as well as rezoning and variances for the property.

The proposal is raising concerns because, if approved, Ansley Park residents would be forced to find new homes.

"These people deserve to live here; they've lived here for years, some of them decades even," said Axel Vera.

The property may be sold to David Weekley Homes, a developer looking to build 220 new homes on the site of the current mobile home community.

Before Thursday's meeting, residents and activists gathered outside The Chambers in downtown Woodstock.

"If all the residents come together and fight back against this injustice as a community and express our disapproval and concern regarding this eviction as it is unjust[ly]," said one resident.

Vera said the property owner at Ansley Park has offered residents $15,000 to help with relocation but argues it's not enough.

"A lot of the residents have been quoted for moving their mobile homes, and the cost of it is significantly more than what they're being offered by the landlord," Vera said.

But during Thursday's meeting, representatives for the property owner and developer said the discussion over the mobile home park closing is separate from the annexation, rezoning and variances for the property.

"This is a privately owned mobile home park and the owner, for whatever reasons, had made the decision that he is going to retire, he is going to close the park," said an attorney representing David Weekley at Thursday's meeting. "There is no vote on that. The question here tonight is once you close the park, how should the property be redeveloped?"

According to city documents, the Development Process Committee conditionally approved the annexation, rezoning and variances in July.

The proposed development's variances include reducing the minimum lot size from 5,500 to 2,500 square feet, decreasing the front setback from 15 to 12 feet, with 18 feet from the garage to the sidewalk, and narrowing side setbacks from 5 to 3.5 feet.

One of the conditions included the owner's agreement to help existing Ansley Park residents find suitable housing.

As of Thursday's meeting, the planning commission had not received that agreement.

Tony Eyl, who was there on Thursday on behalf of the property owner, said it's more complicated than it appears.

"There's multiple tenant situations that the owner has become aware of that are not — I'm gonna say are what necessarily should be happening, and it's trying to figure out whose there, what's going on and trying to meet those needs," Eyl said.

Planning Commission Chairman Brandon Williams expressed hesitancy to move forward over a lack of information on the need for the variances.

"I don't think I have a really good grasp on this to really make a good decision for myself," Williams said.

Williams also wanted to understand the agreement between the property owner and residents to help find suitable housing.

"I understand there's some things going on still with that; I get that, but it is a condition in there, so I'd like to know a little more on what we're actually conditioned for there."

CBS Atlanta reached out to David Weekley, the developer, who sent us a statement which said:

"David Weekley Homes is a prospective purchaser of the property, and plans to develop a community of new single-family homes on the property to meet the housing needs of local residents.

Redevelopment of the property remains contingent upon City approval, and tonight's hearing is one step in the City's public review process.

The current property owner has publicly stated that relocation assistance would be made available to eligible tenants if the plan is approved.

We appreciate the consideration being given and will continue to respect the process, as the City seeks to balance responsible growth and private property rights.

Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the annexation and rezoning, but denied the variances. The proposal now goes before the Woodstock City Council.