PLANNING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Falling Forward: Embracing the New
NOV. 2025
THE PLANNING POST We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.
FALL EDITION
ISSUE #2
SMART GROWTH & SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES
Growth is in the air this fall! The Planning & Community Development (PCD) team remains dedicated to guiding East Point’s progress with purpose. Through thoughtful enforcement of building codes and zoning ordinances, your PCD team continues to advance projects that foster a thriving, sustainable, and collaborative community for all of East Point.
$300M+ IN CONSTRUCTION VALUE FOR 2025 QUICK DATA SNAPSHOT
*JANUARY 2025 - OCTOBER 2025
WE’VE LISTENED AND WE HAVE A PLAN! At the heart of the Planning and Community Development Department are current and future citizens of East Point. This is a fact that remains true to us and has helped shape our initiatives this year. It created a sense of urgency for us to fill our project manager role to have a dedicated person on our team to prioritize both our processes and community presence. The hope was to find a qualified person that could streamline our work and increase community engagement all while rebuilding East Point citizens’ trust in our team. We not only found the perfect person, but our team and the community have already felt her impact. Within her first 30 days, our project manager led three community events that gave citizens a high-level overview of our permitting and zoning practices and the importance of GIS. Now, almost 6 months later, our project manager has helped us improve our plan review turnaround times, initiated our zoning ordinance rewrite, updated our website and even planned two additional community events. It’s safe to say our plan is in motion and it’s working!
We have heard the community’s feedback on how we can improve our reputation and create processes that center who matters most - the customer. Re-Defining Excellence: Leading with the Customer in Mind
PLANNING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THE INSPECTOR’S GADGETS Fall is here and we want to help you prepare. Check out our inspector approved home tips for this year’s cold weather!
Industry Overview
A change in weather brings a new set of problems for homeowners and businesses each year. It’s easy to forget all the things you need to do to properly transition your space while also managing day to day responsibilities. We spoke with our inspectors, and they gave us a list of tips that can save you money and stress this holiday season.
Seal Air Leaks Weatherstripping and caulking can save on heating costs and prevents drafts. This keeps your home warm and bill low. TIP 1
Check Your HVAC System It’s a great idea to change your air filters and schedule an inspection of your system to ensure it is running safely and efficiently. TIP 2
Clean Your Gutters Fall and winter is when pests like to make their way indoors. Cleaning your gutters can prevent both pests and costly water damage. TIP 3
Inspect Plumbing Wrapping exposed pipes in insulation is helpful to prevent freezing and bursting when temperatures drop. TIP 4
We took some time to speak with Don Wilkins, Safebuilt’s National Plan Review Regional Manager and East Point’s Plan Review Supervisor . Now with 2 years under his belt of many tools in East Point, it’s time we meet the man that’s ensuring our customers have a well-informed plan review! GROWING EAST POINT WITH HELP
"To be successful in my career, someone must enjoy learning about new things, while embracing the challenges of the job."
What do you enjoy most about working in the built environment?
I grew up in a construction family, with both my father and older brother being master electricians and even owning a electrical contracting business. No longer watching from the sidelines, I now have more than 35 years of experience in and around the construction industry. What I enjoy most is when I can explain the available options through the exceptions within the adopted codes to a design professional or applicant. I love that I am learning new things daily to meet the needs of the customer.
What is something that you want people to know about you?
Based on my time in government regulating construction, the public and some members of the construction community believe that local building departments are meant to delay construction. That is simply not true. Our goals, and those of the adopted codes, is to protect the occupants of a building. For homeowners, I believe my job is to help them protect their largest financial investment, which is their home. My team, and the staff at the City of East Point, want every permit application to move through the process in a timely manner.
What is something that you want people to know about your expertise?
Permit applicants should never be afraid to seek help or advice before the project is delayed. If the applicant doesn’t understand a review comment, we are here to help! If the applicant does not understand the codes, we are here to help! I have always told my staff that their prime function is to be an educator first and then be a reluctant regulator. Meaning, our job is to help people understand the codes, not immediately start regulating compliance.
EAST POINT IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS EAST POINT IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Business Licenses Snapshot
$1M+ Total Revenue
1052
208
New Business Licenses
Renewed Licenses
Numbers are based on 2025 data from January through October.
New Developments
Microsoft Data Center 4165 Ben Hill Rd. Project Value: $250M+ Chick-fil-A Renovation 1065 E. Cleveland Ave. Project Value: $1M+ East Point Fire Station #5 3949 Washington Rd. Project Value: $500K+
89 Affordable Apartments 1514 Cleveland Ave. Project Value: $17M+ Crowne Plaza Renovation 1325 Virginia Ave. Project Value: $2M+ Multi-Use Warehouse 5001 North Commerce Dr. Project Value: $3M+
Big Nick’s Renovation 2665 E. Point St. Project Value: $30K+
Tis Renewal Season
What We Need: Gross revenue as of December 31, 2025 & Number of employees
Renewal Deadline: February 1, 2026
IN THE ZONE
PLANNING & ZONING UPDATES
Planning and zoning is at the head of our process and is one of the most vital steps before ground is broken and the real work begins. Our 2025 data reflects the enthusiasm that many have to develop in East Point. See how we’ve done thus far.
This includes re-zonings, special use permits, zoning variances, and zoning modifications. 119 APPLICATIONS
Our Community Zoning Information Meetings (CZIM) allow us to connect with the community to keep them informed and included in our work! 27 ISSUED PERMITS Zoning verifications were in popular demand this year, with all 27 issued permits falling in this category.
Fun Fact: Planning decides how a city grows; zoning decides where!
13 APPLICATIONS IN PROCESS They haven’t made it quite over the finish line but are very close! From plats to rezonings - a lot of work is still being done!
Strengthening Community Connections We cannot develop our community without engaging with it. This is an intentional effort that our Planning and Community Development team has begun doing to bridge gaps with our stakeholders. For us, it’s not enough that citizens know that our department exists. We want citizens to be able to put faces to names and names to needs. This is why our community engagement did not end with summer. Instead, we’ve continued to listen and plan additional opportunities to address pain points to create an even better customer experience. Our proactive approach is helping us address matters before they become issues and creating opportunities for us to provide second-mile service to our customers. The service approach we take includes providing resolve in addition to educating citizens on our processes, forms, and system. This was the driver behind our outreach outlined below!
Around Our Town
Want a recap? We got you covered! Click on each tile to be directed to the YouTube video to catch what you missed!
We took community engagement to the next level! Several members of our team had the opportunity to participate in conferences to increase our prowess to serve our customers. For example, our permit technician and business license coordinator attended the Georgia Association of Business Tax Officials (GABTO) Conference. Beyond the Point
G.A.B.T.O. CONFERENCE
The G.A.B.T.O Conference is focused on providing business tax officials with the following to remain informed, improve their work, and connect with their peers.
Training Education Networking Policy Updates Regulatory Discussions
PANEL DISCUSSIONS This robust, 2-day conference included panels led by revered, industry professionals. There were panels that covered: Alcohol Taxes Hotel/Motel Tax Taxing & Licensing and Occupations Under Georgia Law S.A.V.E & E-Verify Immigration Laws in Georgia
CONNECTING DOTS The GABTO Conference was a beneficial opportunity for our team because:
Alcohol Licensing - Local permits and complimentary alcohol regulations all affect permitting workflows Regulatory Fees - Understanding the difference between occupational taxes and regulatory fees inform key considerations for business licensing compliance State Requirements - Immigration law compliance and special tax rules impact how PCD processes licenses, verifies applicants, and manages reporting
Beyond the Point
BETTER TOGETHER In addition to the G.A.B.T.O Conference, our team participated in the Better Together Boards & Commissions Summit hosted by East Point’s Economic Development Office. The purpose of this evening was to bring all of East Point’s boards and commissions together to: Showcase each group’s mission and membership Strengthen collaboration and relationships across the city, and Explore ways to support East Point’s growth and inclusive development INFRADAY CONFERENCE On September 23, infrastructure leaders from government, industry, and technology convened in Atlanta for a full day of action-focused panels, expert
discussions, and high-value networking. Our very own PCD project manager, Yasmine Edge, was asked to speak on the Workforce, Capacity & Project Delivery Constraints panel. This panel highlighted:
Recruiting planners, engineers, and project managers Construction labor shortages and regional disparities Upskilling for digital and field technology integration
CONNECTING DOTS
The Better Together Boards & Commissions Summit gave not only our team, but our Planning & Zoning Commission the chance to interact with other commission members. Best practices were shared and healthy conversation were had around collaborative ways to drive growth in EP. From the Infraday Conference, our project manager was able to come back to our department with new perspective on the importance of our work. Hearing from seasoned industry professionals provided valuable context on the built environment, tools utilized within it, and why having the right team is important.
WITHOUT YOU WE CAN’T DO IT Zoning Ordinance re - write steering committee About: The zoning ordinance rewrite is a living document that consolidates all development-related
regulations including zoning and land use, sub- divisions, design and development standards, and review procedures. As the comprehensive plan evolves, the goal is to ensure zoning and land development ordinances support this progress.
How to Get Involved: Zoning impacts a community’s economic vitality and personality. The impact is felt by all members of the community, which makes it a priority of the City of East Point to create an opportunity for collective input and engagement.
There is still time to express interest! Complete the interest form by December 12 by clicking the QR code or this LINK .
How to Get Involved : Similar to the zoning ordinance rewrite, it is a must that we become more inclusive in our approach to enhancing the way we work. This task force will ensure we keep who matters most at the forefront - the customer. Development task force About: The Development Task Force was created with the purpose of making our permitting process better. Through educational workshops and streamlining processes with community input, this task force will help PCD achieve its ultimate goal of uplifting our reputation and that of East Points. I nterested in helping? Complete the interest form by clicking THIS LINK and completing the form by December 12!
Downtown architectural overlay review board ( DARB ) About: East Point established DARB to, on a needed basis, review plans for development in the Downtown Architectural Overlay District for compliance. They make recommendations to the Planning & Zoning Commission, City Council, and our PCD department. How to Get Involved : We are genuinely committed to working with the community. The development of the DARB team is no different. To express your interest, complete and submit an interest form HERE by December 12 .
PLANNING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 2025 SUMMARY AND OUR WORK ISN’T DONE JUST YET
Executive Summary
With only January through October accounted for, our 2025 summary doesn’t exactly summarize our year. It does however, acknowledge how hard our entire department has been working to meet the needs of our customers. We are keeping things focused and high-level, giving you a top-floor view of our excellence.
Executive Summary
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2099 PERMITS ISSUED April, August, and October seemed to be our busier months as our permit staff issued 282 permits alone in April.
$2M+ IN PERMIT FEES
773 PLAN REVIEWS Our technical review team, in conjunction with SafeBuilt, have been able to successfully provide plan reviews to applicants.
With such an efficient team , it’s easy to understand how we’ve been able to achieve this by October. This is the value of the issued permits.
THE CUSTOMER’S JOURNEY
Streamlining for Better
As mentioned, there is a desire for us to fine tune our permitting process. To do that, our management team has been meeting on a weekly basis to brainstorm how we can remain a regulatory body while not leaving citizens out of our conversations when the topic is the customer’s experience. This is how we’ve been able to reduce turnaround times for plan reviews, thus improving our customer service.
LOBBY EXPERIENCE
BS&A EXPERIENCE
RENEWAL EXPERIENCE
WEBSITE EXPERIENCE
REVIEW EXPERIENCE
Risk & Mitigation
INTERNAL SOPS & DOCUMENTATION MANAGEMENT
INTER- DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION
COMMUNICATION & ESCALATION PROTOCOLS
STAY TUNED
2757 East Point St, East Point, GA 30344
www.eastpointga.gov/planning- community-development/
(404) 669-4340
A note from the Director: Hey East Point! I’m proud of the meaningful progress happening across the Planning & Community Development Department. Our team continues to work diligently to strengthen processes, support responsible development, and ensure our city’s growth reflects the voices of our residents. The data and updates shared highlight our commitment to transparency and service. As East Point evolves, we will keep prioritizing projects that enhance quality of life and reinforce sustainable planning practices.
Important Dates
East Point offices CLOSED 11/27- 11/28 Zoning Application Deadline: 12/5 Interest form links close 12/12 East Point offices CLOSED 12/24- 12/25
Thank you for staying engaged! We look forward to continuing this momentum together.
Director Kimberly Smith
Looking ahead:
Stay in touch : Have a question for our department? We are ready to help!
ICC 2024 Building Codes have been released to be implemented next year. We are actively recruiting for an assistant permit coordinator. Apply HERE ! Renewal letters have been mailed out for renewal season. The last opportunity to submit a zoning application for 2025 is December 5 . Complete the interest form to be considered for our review authorities by December 12 .
INSPECTIONS PERMITS BUSINESS LICENSE ZONING COMMUNITY
pcd@eastpointcity.org
(404) 669-4399
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