ZONING CASES: 2015
Z-20 was approved 5/19/15 by the Board of Commissions for rezoning, with Chairman Lee casting the deciding vote (3 - 2). No groundbreaking has occurred and no land use permit has been filed. Thanks to the BFCA Technical Committee for identifying the flooding and wetlands issues related to this property.
What was Z-20?
A petition to change exiting zoning on the east side of Chastain Meadows Parkway to Bells Ferry Road. This change to Office and Warehouses zoning will have a negative impact on the value and desirability of our residential neighborhoods and it will lead to their decline. Bells Ferry Corridor should be kept residential. If ever developed, the new zoning requires only be a 35' buffer between this property and a warehouse, loading dock and tractor trailers and the backyards of many neighbors.
Additionally, the Z-20 tract of land is 45% flood plain and wetlands which, as it is, has flooded property, including houses, in surrounding neighborhoods many times already. Warehouses, loading docks and paved parking spaces allowed on this property can have very large footprints, thus significantly increasing water run-off, much of it polluted, into the already threatening Noonday Creek flood plain. Noonday Creek runs northward through many of our Bells Ferry neighborhoods, and on to Lake Allatoona, our major drinking water supply for North Cobb County. Heavy flooding could cause imminent danger to area residents and their properties.
What was Z-20?
A petition to change exiting zoning on the east side of Chastain Meadows Parkway to Bells Ferry Road. This change to Office and Warehouses zoning will have a negative impact on the value and desirability of our residential neighborhoods and it will lead to their decline. Bells Ferry Corridor should be kept residential. If ever developed, the new zoning requires only be a 35' buffer between this property and a warehouse, loading dock and tractor trailers and the backyards of many neighbors.
Additionally, the Z-20 tract of land is 45% flood plain and wetlands which, as it is, has flooded property, including houses, in surrounding neighborhoods many times already. Warehouses, loading docks and paved parking spaces allowed on this property can have very large footprints, thus significantly increasing water run-off, much of it polluted, into the already threatening Noonday Creek flood plain. Noonday Creek runs northward through many of our Bells Ferry neighborhoods, and on to Lake Allatoona, our major drinking water supply for North Cobb County. Heavy flooding could cause imminent danger to area residents and their properties.
Z-16 was withdrawn by the applicant. The petition was to change current residential zoning to commercial.
What was Z-16?:
The 50 acre parcel, primarily located at the corner of Bells Ferry and N. Booth Rds., has always been zoned residential and our primary objective is to keep it that way. It is within a clearly-defined residential area. Our opposition was not with the prospective developer specifically, as much as it was with rezoning this parcel to a Community Retail Commercial (CRC) designation to allow commercial development. If the zoning had been changed, anything appropriate for a CRC designation could replace this proposed entertainment complex, including gas stations, arcades, hotel/motels, convenience stores, a group home, community retail, and a host of other retail facilities that do not fit with our residential area.
The plans for Cobb International Village included a hotel, Olympic-size velodrome, fast food, senior housing development, parking decks, gas station and other retail businesses. The site was proposed to hold sporting events, outdoor concerts, festivals, fitness events and other high usage events -- for a fee. Alcohol would have been served throughout the complex.
In addition, across from the main site and in front of Chalker Elementary School, a huge transportation hub would have not only provided service to the airport, but would have shuttled Braves fans to the new stadium and back, which means during rush hour and late at night, increasing noise, traffic, and crime in our residential area.
The 50 acre parcel, primarily located at the corner of Bells Ferry and N. Booth Rds., has always been zoned residential and our primary objective is to keep it that way. It is within a clearly-defined residential area. Our opposition was not with the prospective developer specifically, as much as it was with rezoning this parcel to a Community Retail Commercial (CRC) designation to allow commercial development. If the zoning had been changed, anything appropriate for a CRC designation could replace this proposed entertainment complex, including gas stations, arcades, hotel/motels, convenience stores, a group home, community retail, and a host of other retail facilities that do not fit with our residential area.
The plans for Cobb International Village included a hotel, Olympic-size velodrome, fast food, senior housing development, parking decks, gas station and other retail businesses. The site was proposed to hold sporting events, outdoor concerts, festivals, fitness events and other high usage events -- for a fee. Alcohol would have been served throughout the complex.
In addition, across from the main site and in front of Chalker Elementary School, a huge transportation hub would have not only provided service to the airport, but would have shuttled Braves fans to the new stadium and back, which means during rush hour and late at night, increasing noise, traffic, and crime in our residential area.
