Proposed 26-acre development in Forest Acres gets public hearing Tuesday

A proposed 26-acre senior living community in Forest Acres gets a first public Tuesday at Forest Acres City Council Chambers.

The planned community, named Tuscan Gardens, will include independent and assisted living environments, as well as Memory Care residences for those with memory impairments including dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The property would be located on a 26-acre tract along Sunnyside Drive, between Epworth Children's Home and Brookwood Court. If approved, it will be the largest planned development in Forest Acres. (The former Cardinal Newman site is 12 acres.)

According to the zoning request filed by developers, Tuscan Gardens will have a maximum of 170 units — 40 of which will be independent living cottages, and the remainder will be a combination of assisted living and memory care units. One-quarter of the area — approximately 6 acres — would be reserved for undisturbed open space for the residents. The property is bounded on the west by Sunnyside Drive, along the eastern side by Penn Branch and along the northern side by Orphan Branch creeks.

This is not the first time that a development has been proposed for the property. In 2015, a zoning dispute caused H&M Real Estate Holdings LLC to withdraw a proposal for a commercial memory care facility that would include high-end homes.

At the time, nearby residents voiced concerns about increased traffic, risk of flooding and loss of a natural barrier to absorb light and sound from the Beltline commercial corridor.

The hearing begins at 5:15 p.m. The council chambers are at 5205 N. Trenholm Road.

This story was originally published April 9, 2018 at 7:15 PM with the headline "Proposed 26-acre development in Forest Acres gets public hearing Tuesday."