Summary
This past summer over 1,200 citizens from District 3 emailed Jim Harrell, the District 3 commissioner urging him to join with other homeowner oriented Commissioners to vote denial for the re-zoning application ZA 3411, Venable Hall.
This re-zoning application proposed to build a 1.1 million square foot commercial complex plus 727 multi & single family residential units on 240 acres. This was proposed despite the Future Land Use Map’s recommendation for the tract to be developed 99.2% residential.
At the September 17, 2009 Board of Commissioners meeting, Mr. Harrell made a motion to approve the rezoning:
- Despite the pleas of 1,200 citizens in his district to deny this application.
- In direct conflict with his campaign promises to follow the County’s Comprehensive Plan, the Future Land Use Plan, and the Uniform Development Code, all of which ZA3411 violated.
After discussion, Commissioners Harrell, Tam, and Bell voted Yes in favor of the motion. Commissioners Laughinghouse and Boff voted No in support of the 1,200 District 3 homeowners who requested denial. To learn more about the September 17 Board of Commissioners hearing, click here.
What did nearby homeowners expect?
The Future Land Use Map recommended the 240 acres be 99.2% residential (click here to see more about the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the Castleberry / Majors / Route 9 Triangle). Many nearby homeowners ascertained this before buying their home.
At the September 17, 2009 BoC meeting, Mr. Laughinghouse, chairman of the commission stated that he “read the Comprehensive Plan’s three volumes cover to cover” and “did find any basis for conformance of this ZA”.
Had the land use plan for 99.8% residential been followed, development would have been:
- 173 single family homes on tracts along Castleberry and Majors Roads,
- 995 multi-family homes including Condos, Townhouses, and Apartments on tracts along Route 9
- An approximate 27,000 square foot neighborhood shopping area at the Majors/Route 9 corner
- Approximately 8,000 cars per day.
- These estimates assume a 90% of maximum density after stream and zoning buffers, and required setbacks.
Venable Hall Rezoning - - - What did Mr Harrell move and vote for?
- A 1.1 million square foot commercial/office complex- - - twice the size of Avenue Forsyth with buildings up to 6 stories high.
- 8 (eight) outparcels on which 8 fast food stores, banks, cleaners, etc. or any combination thereof could be developed - - similar to what is on Bethelview Road.
- 727 single family and multi-family Condo and Townhouse units.
- Over 5,000 parking spaces. Although 4,000 parking spaces are stated, the outparcels and residential will increase the count to above 5,000 (representing 45 to 50 acres of asphalt & concrete)
- Approximately 32,000 cars per day - - 4 times the traffic if developed 99.8% residential. The developer and Mr. Harrell are quoting 24,900 cars per day but in a meeting 2 weeks before the final BOC vote, Mr. Harrell admitted that the count should be increased by 4,000 cars/day to account for the 65,000 square foot grocery store as pointed out by KCR.org. Other traffic projections are questionable as the traffic engineer was employed by the developer. Click here to see more about the development's impact on traffic.
Future potential rezoning
- The three adjacent un-developed corners on Route 9 & Majors can now triple the negative impact of Venable Hall. Will Mr. Harrell and the county tell these property owners that it was OK for the first 240 acres but not legally OK for the adjacent three corners?
- Owners of the approximate 200+ acres on the north side of Castleberry Road can now ask: “why not multi-family and offices on our properties?”
- This blatant rezoning sends a clear message to homeowners close to other large parcels in the county that the Future Land Use Plan and all other related codes will not stop un-wanted re-zonings.
Destruction of Nature
- The required 150 foot wide undisturbed buffer and setback to protect a 1,000 foot long stream was waived by Mr. Harrell. A concrete tunnel will be built over the stream - - allowing 3 more acres for additional development. Is this worth the permanent destruction of that ecosystem? The continued death by a thousand variances to our watershed?
What might have been?
In January 2008, about 30 homeowners from 5 nearby neighborhoods met with the developer and Mr. Harrell. The homeowners stated that the Venable Hall development was too intensive for the area and that there were vacant tracts, many along Ronald Reagan, where the county planning department had suggested this development could be placed (a draft copy report by the planning department was found in the county files).
At that meeting, the developer was offered a compromise to model a development after Vickery on this 240 acre tract. This would have been much less intensive - - approximately only 12,000 cars per day and would have better blended into the overall community as does Vickery.
In this meeting, Mr Harrell showed no inclination to support the homeowner’s compromise and in the developer’s presence suggested the homeowners consider the developers’ plan as “it might be the best deal we could get” (a paraphrase). The developer rejected the Vickery Compromise and came back in the spring of 2009 with the commercial complex increased by 95% and overall traffic increased by 25%. In 2009 this same compromise was offered through the county commissioners as well as directly to the developer.
We now understand that compromise by the developer was not necessary! With Mr Harrell in favor; there were enough votes to gain approval for the re-zoning.
A Homeowners Tea Party?
The opposition to the intrusive re-zoning started in 2008 with about 30 homeowners and grew to 40 times that amount - - - - from 5 adjacent neighborhoods to over 70 neighborhoods throughout District 3. (Click here to see more about the local tea party.) This should be a signal to us all:
- In today’s digital age, the facts can easily be known as well as the citizens’ wishes.
- The homeowners have a right to insist that our elected officials follow our wishes - - we do not want politicians who think they know what is good for us.
- Today’s homeowners are very willing to make these principles work - - - there were many volunteers to distribute flyers in their neighborhoods, to pass them out at school meetings and email them to friends and folks in their sub-division. Just a little bit of time by many really does work!!
- Of interest; one neighborhood almost two miles from the tract donated 100 road signs.
Homeowners comprise the vast majority of voters in District 3. It is our right to elect a District 3 commissioner who will follow the combined wisdom of the District 3 citizens. And, one who will honor his campaign promises to follow our county’s future land use plan, Comprehensive Plan, and the Uniform Development Code.
Our current District 3 commissioner did not accept the combined wisdom of the 1,200 citizens in his district, nor did he honor his campaign promises to follow our county’s future land use plan, comprehensive plan, and the Uniform Development Code.
Our Opportunity
The same 1,200 citizens and their neighbors from the 70 neighborhoods have the opportunity in the July Republican primary to vote for a person who will support their wishes on how our district is developed in the future.
The KCR.org committee has formed an Independent Committee (governed by Georgia laws) to help select and elect a candidate who will truly represent the home owners of District 3. The Independent Committee is named Forsyth Citizens for Responsible Growth or ForsythCRG.org with a goal of Responsible Residential, Business, and Quality of Life growth, and will be a successor to KCR.org
We are asking any of the 1,200 emailers with free time to join the ForsythCRG.org committee and help elect an outstanding person to represent all District 3 citizens. Two facts are encouraging:
1st - - only District 3 citizens can vote in the July 2010 primary,
2nd - - less than 2,000 District 3 votes were cast in the 2006 primary.
Our goal should be to win without a runoff.
If you are interested in joining the ForsythCRG.org committee or volunteering to spend a little time helping obtain better elected officials click here. The link will take you to the ForsythCRG.org web site.