The City Council on Tuesday night gave developer Tommy Austin the go-ahead for an apartment project on a hill by the freeway in Lookout Valley with 246 units.
It will be near a water tower that is near the Cummings Highway exit of I-24.
Mr. Austin said access to the development will be via Cummings Highway or Francis Street.
But he said the project will have a natural buffer at least 100 feet away from Francis Street. There will be a 200-foot buffer in the direction of Kelly's Ferry Road, which will be used only for emergency vehicles.
Building height will not be over four stories, it was stated.
Mr. Austin said it will be an "upscale" development.
Several speakers were in opposition, saying the roads are narrow and winding and it may cause water runoff problems. They said the property is "very, very steep" and they said they moved to the area to get away from congestion elsewhere.
Councilman Chip Henderson said members of the Lookout Valley Neighborhood Association discussed the project and voted 20-0 in favor.
He said, without the zoning change, the developer would have been able to put townhomes or other units close to Francis Street and Kelly's Ferry Road.
Mr. Austin said he has owned the property for a decade. He said he took input from a number of different people and city officials in developing the master plan.
The 30-acre property will leave about 10 acres in green space.