A first look at proposed new homes, businesses in Forest Acres

Plans for a proposed development at the corner of Forest Drive and Brentwood Drive have been filed with the city of Forest Acres.

Renderings for the property show three commercial buildings near Forest Drive and 13 townhomes in an enclave along Brentwood. A small retention pond and green space would separate the development from residential property on Brentwood.

The proposed development would be accessed by three driveways on Brentwood Drive.

Cason Development Group has requested that the properties at 1450-1514 Brentwood be rezoned to be incorporated as a second parcel into the existing Planned Development District (PPD) that includes South State Bank, MUV Fitness and Southern First Bank on Forest Drive. Currently, the proposed second parcel consists of a corner lot at 1514 Brentwood and Forest Drive that is the site of four apartment buildings that are in disrepair and rental properties at 1510, 1500 and 1450 Brentwood.

PPDs typically are mixed-use, meaning that there are both commercial and residential components within the district. The proposed development’s townhomes would add the residential component that is currently missing in the existing PPD.

Because Cason is requesting zoning to be an extension of the PPD and not a rezoning to a commercial application, if the request and proposed plans are approved, the developer will have to follow stricter guidelines on what can be built, the placement of buildings, signage and any future upgrades or changes to the property, according to Forest Acres city administrator Shaun Greenwood.

Under the PPD, the commercial use is limited to professional office space, libraries, medically oriented offices, artists’ studios, banks and other financial institutions, service and repair establishments, personal services (beauty and barber shops, shoe and garment repair and tailoring) and restaurants without drive-thru windows.

The proposed townhomes would range between about 1,500 to 2,000 square feet per unit.

The Forest Acres Planning Commission is meeting in the Council Chambers at Forest Acres City Hall, 5295 N. Trenholm Road at 6 p.m. Tuesday to review the proposed zoning change. The meeting is open to the public.

This story was originally published January 19, 2018 at 1:26 PM with the headline "A first look at proposed new homes, businesses in Forest Acres."