Bargaining with Land Use Planning
We gripe and complain about traffic, crowded schools. Politicians blame all the pain on growth. Yet we know what is wrong with Henry County. A new zoning request on Campground Road proves developers like Tim Jones and David Black, aka Dutchtown Development, believe every ordinance and land use plan is negotiable. The horrid shame is that the BoC sometimes take pride in negotiating something better than the developer originally asked for. This time, the requested zoning and site plan flagrantly violate the current and future land use plan and several county ordinances. It is clearly setup to force a negotiation.
There is no reason to enter the game knowing the county and citizens can only lose! The property contains Type-A wetlands, yet there is no wetland mitigation plan. There is no protection for the stream leading to Walnut Creek, as building lots and proposed detention ponds are sited in the flood plain. Future sewer lines must cross the stream to reach over 270 of the homes.
The requested zoning change also includes a built-in variance. County ordinances say one-third-acre lots are only allowed on tracts of 20 acres or less. This property contains 163 acres, and they want 357 houses. Our Joint Henry County-Cities 2030 Comprehensive Plan designates this area for Low Density Residential, specifically with lots larger than one acre. If the Board of Commissioners would violate the plan even before it is ratified, what is the point of spending years and millions of dollars to produce it?
Henry Fire Department says the development should require two entrances on Campground Road and two bridges across the stream. Drive along that stretch of the two-lane, poorly maintained road and experience the horror of adding even 200 homes. Think about destroying wetlands. Think about added impact to Union Grove schools. None of these concerns matter to the dollar-driven, negotiators - but they all spell disaster for the community.
As we contemplate our high property taxes and high sales taxes, and the poor state of county infrastructure, this type of development cannot be justified. Let us pray the commissioners will stand on principle and flatly deny it.
posted by Larrys at 9:06 AM
2 Comments:
This editorial drew a response in the Herald from Mr. Jason Harper:
To the editor:
I am in receipt of an advance copy of a letter from Mr. Larry Stanley concerning a proposed rezoning on Campground Road in McDonough.
While I typically don’t make it a policy to debate zoning applications in the newspaper, I feel compelled to respond to this letter based on its flagrant misrepresentation of the facts.
The proposals surrounding this property have asked for density as high as an R-3 zoning. That is as high one could get prior to asking for multi-family classifications. I have stated before that I do not and will not support that kind of density on Campground Road or in that area of the county. I am not the only commissioner who shares this view. In fact, the Board of Commissioners recently denied a zoning request less than three-fourths of a mile from this location and the request was for an R-2 development which is less dense than the current request.
The developer threatened to sue. No negotiating was done. The zoning was denied. He filed suit against the county and we are defending the decision to deny.
I welcome anyone’s input on a proposed zoning. My children attend the public schools in Henry County, I navigate the same roads as anyone else, and I pay the same millage rate on my taxes as well. The subject writer’s assertions, though passionate, unfortunately constitute a misrepresentation of my opinion as well as that of the board.
JASON HARPER
Chairman, Henry County Board of Commissioners
But it also got other reviews at the Daily Herald Forum:
Robbie said:
"It appears to me that Mr. Stanley has made a case for the denial of this particular rezoning and has accomplished his mission in letting the BoC know that the voters/residents of this area will be on top of this when the vote is cast by them."
And HenryPundit said:
"It appears that Mr. Harper doth protest too much!
The same principles apply, albeit on a smaller scale, to the proposed de-annexation and development on Amah Lee Road in Hampton.
In a parcel lying partly inside City limits of Hampton a developer (Jeff Grant) seeks to de-annex 17 acres from the City of Hampton and combine it with 23 acres presently in the County and develop them as a R3 "conservation type" subdivision with 17 conditions.
Among the conditions are:
(1) donating 8+ acres back to the County for use in the adjoining North Forty Park;
(2) improving the Amah Lee railroad crossing;
(3) paving the remainder of Amah Lee Road
and (4) providing $2000.00 per home for park improvements (104 units x $2000 + $208,000).
(Folks, this is known as Contract Zoning and it is still illegal in many states! There are too many examples of Henry County officials playing this game.)
Now, if that ain't negotiating and bargaining GIVING AWAY the value of the Comprehensive 2030 Plan, what is?
Mr. Harper, commissioner Mathis, what say you to this?"
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