The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a mixed-use rezoning for Hwy. 81 and North Ola Road despite the opposition of some who live in the area, paving the way for a retail center at the corner and a residential subdivision wrapping around it.
The total site is 103.56 acres and the request matches the county’s future land use map, which is one reason county officials felt their legal standing would not be very good if the board denied the request. The applicant filed a constitutional rights letter in advance of the meeting.
About 11 acres are earmarked for a retail anchor, specifically a grocery store. A representative told the board that he could not say specifically which grocery chain it is, but he said it is “the largest employee-owned company in the United States.” According to the National Center for Employee Ownership, that company is Publix.
The representative went on to say that the development would be “a sound economic decision for Henry County for decades to come.”
To emphasize the legal angle for those in the audience who opposed the plan, Commissioner Gary Barham asked county attorney Patrick Jaugstetter what would happen if the request was denied.
“It wouldn’t look good in court,” Jaugestter replied, pointing out that the plan fits the FLUM and county staff as well as the Zoning Advisory Board recommended approval.
With that, Barham moved to approve, and the motion passed unanimously.
Also approved was a rezoning for 159.1 acres on Jonesboro Road, although the initial request of RS (residential suburban) zoning was declined in favor of R-3 (single-family residential).
Two tracts were combined on the north side of Jonesboro Road just west of McCullough Road for this request, which had been tabled nearly a year ago. Commissioner Dee Clemmons pointed out that several town hall meetings had taken place with regard to the plans for this site.
A mixed-use component previously proposed for the property was removed, and the applicant’s representative stressed that they were only interested in residential development, wanting to make it similar to Crystal Lake Village which sits across Jonesboro Road, proposing a gated community with homes of 2,400 square feet or more and prices in the $250,000-350,000 range.
Several people objected to the request, some vehemently, but Clemmons pointed out to them that they had not come to the previous meetings or reached out to her, and she is always available when citizens want to give input. She said the new request was a vast improvement over previous plans which included multi-family residential and mixed-use development.
“These people are also landowners,” she said of the applicants. “We can’t always stop [development] but we can make sure it is done right.”
A number of conditions were added to the motion to approve the rezoning, such as making sure enough right-of-way is left undisturbed for the future widening of Jonesboro Road. Clemmons’ motion for R-3 zoning was made “to maintain consistency with neighboring subdivisions.” It passed unanimously.
