At the monthly zoning meeting of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners last Tuesday, July 20, the commissioners held a request to rezone a property at the corner of Concord and Hicks roads until the August BOC zoning hearing.

The application requests rezoning the property from the R-20 residential category to R-5 residential, which would allow an increase in density. The property is an assemblage of several parcels totaling 23.1 acres, fronting Concord, Hicks, and Hurt roads, adjacent to the popular Silver Comet Trail

The applicant was Brazos-Hicks, LLC, represented at the hearing by David Meyer, owner of Kennesaw-based DGM Land Planning Consultants.

According to the presentation by Meyer, the current R-20 zoning allows a total of 40 units on the property, while the requested rezoning to R-5 would allow 50 units.

Heidi Hunt, a neighbor whose property abuts the proposed development, spoke in opposition to the project as it now stands.

She said she appreciated the frequent communication the developer had with the neighborhood, but there were unresolved issues that need to be worked through, including the route of sewage hookups.

“I find that we still have not worked out to my and my neighbors’ satisfaction, the sewer issues, the sewer placement issues and also questions about perimeter landscaping are still sort of up in the air,” she said. “So therefore, I stand in opposition to the Z-40 application as it exists right now, with the hope that with future discussion, these issues can be resolved.”

District 4 Commissioner Monique Sheffield, who represents the district of the property, called Meyer back to the podium.

She said, “In in reviewing this site plan, there are several issues that I have with with this plan.”

“I also recommend that it is zoned as R-15 vs R-5. And while I understand there’s just a difference of three lots from R-15 to R-5. It is an addition of 11 lots from the original zoning of R-20 to R-5,” Sheffield said.

She also questioned the layout of a private street that would provide access to six of the units.

“My issue with that is that the entire community with will bear the burden of maintenance on that street that just six lots have access to,” she said. “I’m always cautious when we have to piecemeal items of development to make it work.”

“The other issue I have is the size of the home’s square footage. 1500 square feet is awfully small. And it does not fit with the neighboring communities,” she said.

Sheffield made a motion that the decision be held until the August Board of Commissioners zoning hearing, and that the zoning be deleted to R-15.

The motion passed 5-0.

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