A development moratorium in McDonough will remain in place until the end of 2021.
The City Council voted unanimously at its March 4 regular meeting to extend until December 31 of this year a moratorium regarding final approval of any land development projects that require connection to the city’s water system. The ordinance provides for a waiver to be granted under certain circumstances.
In other business, the council approved a $233,901 expenditure for the purchase of five 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles from McDonough dealer Bellamy Strickland for the police department. The cost includes tint, emergency equipment, radios and decals. The money from the general fund will eventually be reimbursed with SPLOST funds when available.
A proposed annexation and rezoning of a 183-acre Campground Road development has been postponed until further notice. The site in question is bordered to the north by Campground Road, to the south by Brush Arbor subdivision, and to the east and west by single-family residential subdivisions in unincorporated Henry County. Both the annexation and the rezoning to R-75 (single-family residential) were recommended for approval by the McDonough Planning Commission last fall, but public hearings before the council were delayed three times in the final months of 2020.
An administrative variance for a four-story hotel was approved by the council. City staff recommended approval for the roof surface height of 42 feet, 9 3/4 inches on behalf of the proposed Extended Stay America on Avalon Court because the city code allows for an administrative variance of up to ten percent. The applicant told the council that the variance would allow for a court level but also reduce the number of guest rooms from 85 to 84. The vote to approve was 4-3 with some council members continuing to express concerns about approving an extended-stay hotel in the area.
The council voted to approve a development agreement regarding the proposed Geranium Park project, which is intended to include a pocket park deeded to the city. According to officials, some of the improvements included in the proposed project are the removal of an existing above-ground sewer pipe and renovations to the pond and dam on the property. When asked about potential costs for maintenance of the dam, an official said that any such costs would be paid from stormwater fees.
Preliminary plats for two upcoming developments were approved. One was for Barrett Farms, a single-family subdivision on Lake Dow Road. The other was for Eagle Rest, a townhome development on Hwy. 20/81. Both were previously recommended for approval by city staff. A rezoning request for separate development of a five-acre parcel on Hwy. 81 West was postponed at the request of the applicant.
