The Dunwoody City Council is slated to discuss proposed changes to the Dunwoody Village Overlay guidelines at its Nov. 5 meeting. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 4800 Ashford-Dunwoody Road.

The proposed amendments to the Dunwoody Village Overlay are the first steps in a process to update the overlay. Next year, the council is expected to hire a consultant to conduct a more in-depth look at the code for more possible changes.

The City Council earlier this year asked staff to look at potential changes to some of mandates in the overlay, such as architectural style and parking requirements, in response to requests from residents and developers wanting to create an updated look. There is also a strong desire by many in the city to keep the overlay as it is because, they say, it sets Dunwoody apart from other cities with its unique appearance and character.

The council will hear on first read 10 proposed changes that include:

Removing the pre-1900 mid Atlantic American Colonial style of architecture specified in the code, to allow for some variation in style, while also acknowledging the existing precedent;
Allow buildings be up to three stories and a special land use permit process for buildings taller than three stories;
Prohibit drive-thrus for all new buildings;
For restaurants only, increase maximum parking limitations to five per 1,000 square feet.

Dyana Bagby is a staff writer for Rough Draft Atlanta, Reporter Newspapers, and Atlanta Intown.