The Tucker City Council at its April 14 meeting discussed and held a public hearing for a Special Land Use Permit for a property that currently houses a non-compliant special event facility.
The council also heard that proposed projects for 2026 will not include $1.2 million for a controversial pickleball complex at Tucker Recreation Center.
Luxe Events is requesting the SLUP with three concurrent variances for the property located on a 2.7-acre site located at 2101 Northlake Parkway, despite the fact that it has been operating for at least two years without the needed variances, and without an occupational tax certificate.
The property also contains several other businesses, including a tire store, with a hair salon on the second floor.
According to a staff memo, officials “met with the property owner, their leasing agent, and Luxe Events several times to discuss the SLUP process and the non-conforming use regulations in the zoning ordinance. However, it took until December of 2024 to get the applicant to submit a complete SLUP application.”
Along with the SLUP application, the concurrent variance requests include relief of distance separation requirements from residential properties, and relief from accessory structure materials and accessory structure location.
Tucker officials and the city’s planning commission recommended approval of the SLUP and the distance separation variation, but denial of the two others.
The staff memo also said during the application process, “several other code violations had to be corrected by the property owner to bring the remaining parts of the property into compliance.”
Community Development Director Courtney Smith said the city is working to address the various issues existing at the project, and that they may be satisfied before the requests come up for a second reading.
Attorney Joseph G. Wilburn, representing the applicant, said the owner is working on coming into compliance, and requested additional time to address them.
Mayor Frank Auman asked Wilburn if the owner has agreed to deal with several of the out-of-compliance issues, why the applicant is applying for the variances.
“When you come back, I need a clear plan,” Auman said.
The council will take up the request again at a meeting in May.
The council also heard from Tucker City Manager John McHenry, who presented the city’s preliminary list of 2026 capital projects.
McHenry recounted some of the city’s capital improvements in 2025 – the completion of the Fitzgerald Park athletic fields, work already accomplished on the Tucker Town Green, the ongoing dam repair work at Johns Homestead Park, stormwater repairs throughout the city, and major road repairs, including repaving of 37 streets totaling nine miles.
The 2026 budget is projected to fund $6.2 million in new capital projects, $6.6 million in new projects funded by the Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), and $6.5 million in new matching revenue projects.
Of note, McHenry said because of “we have not made a decision” surrounding a proposed 12-court pickleball complex that has met with neighborhood opposition, he deferred $1.2 million previously discussed in the 2026 budget to 2027.
McHenry said that the 2026 budget might include updating the downtown master plan and space analysis of certain city properties.
McHenry also discussed the possibility of increasing stormwater utility fees to $8 a month that would generate about $3.9 million, which would allow for six-to-eight larger additional projects a year.
He recommended adding several new positions for the parks and recreation and community development departments in 2026. He also talked about establishing a Tucker Marshal Service with one sworn peace officer to perform needed services across city departments.
The first budget workshop will be held at the council’s next meeting on April 28.
In other action the council:
- Heard from several people during public comment regarding the city’s noise ordinance hours;
- Discussed on first read of an ordinance to authorize bail bond agents to provide bonds for persons appearing in municipal court;
- Passed on second read to rezone a property from R-100 to R-75 for a single-family residential development at 3152 Westwood Drive;
- Approved $2.8 million in funding for spring street paving that will touch 27 city streets;
- Approved two contract amendments totaling about $230,000 to the Tucker Town Green project to address stormwater and runoff issues;
- After meeting in executive session, approved the purchase of two parcels of land next to Montreal Park;
- Approved a contract not to exceed $50,000 to engage Powerling for multilingual translation services for a community outreach program.
