Photo of Cobb County School District bus by Rebecca Gaunt

By Rebecca Gaunt

Last week the Mableton Improvement Coalition put out a statement of opposition to the Cobb County School District’s alleged plans for a bus garage on Veterans Memorial Highway at Glore Drive and will share its concerns at the Oct. 17 school board meeting.

The district has not publicly disclosed its plans for the 6.9 acres at 440 Veterans Memorial Hwy. that it acquired in 2022 for $1.1 million.

The MIC said work began on the property in August, and a manager on the worksite disclosed the plans for a bus garage to an inquiring resident. Requests for information from city officials to the school district have gone unanswered. The district also declined to comment for the Courier on plans for the parcel. 

From the MIC:

MIC, residents and property owners adjacent to land located at 440 Veterans Memorial Highway at the intersection of Glore Drive, are against development of a Cobb County School Bus garage to store and service Cobb County School District buses on this site.

As work started on this site August 14, 2024 there is an urgent need to engage the Cobb County School Board to better understand their plans for the school bus garage and to express our concerns regarding this development at this location in our community.

MIC and the community are opposed to this plan for the following reasons:

1. **Deviation from Established Guidelines**: The proposed plan is incompatible with the character of the surrounding neighborhood. There are private homes immediately adjacent to the property that will be enormously impacted.

2. **Contradiction to the Cobb County Comprehensive Plan**: According to CCC Plan, the southern portion of this property is designated for a Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC). This designation is intended to support businesses that serve the local community, not an industrial-like bus parking lot. The remaining portion of the property is slated for residential development.

3. **Traffic and Environmental Impact**: The introduction of a bus parking facility will increase traffic congestion, contribute to air pollution, and raise additional environmental concerns, which 

will negatively impact the surrounding community.

4. **Incompatible Use of Veterans Memorial Highway**: This area has already seen an increase in automotive-related uses, and the community strongly opposes adding another automotive-heavy function in this corridor. 

MIC will attend the next public Cobb School Board meeting, scheduled for October 17th to read this statement and express desire for further discussion regarding this project. As the meeting is open to the public all are invited to attend and support this effort. Cobb School Board meetings are held at 7 O’clock at 514 Glover St SE, Marietta, GA 30060.

MIC is a nonprofit volunteer organization that operates independently of the city government.

Elected Mableton city officials have also weighed in on the matter.

In an email to the Courier on Sep. 10, Mayor Michael Owens wrote, 

I’m fully aware of the concerns surrounding the proposed bus depot at 440 Veterans Memorial Highway. Over the past week, I’ve been in touch with residents from the community, Cobb County School Board members, our County Commissioner, and leaders from the Mableton Improvement Coalition to better understand the situation and its potential impact on our city.

It’s unfortunate that we haven’t received any formal communication from the Cobb County School District regarding this proposal. In an effort to be proactive, I reached out directly to Superintendent [Chris] Ragsdale on September 3rd to request a meeting, in part, to discuss these concerns and explore how the City and CCSD can cooperate moving forward. I haven’t received a response yet, but I remain hopeful for a positive dialogue that will benefit both our city and county.

Please know that I’m committed to ensuring the voices of Mableton residents are heard and that any developments align with our community’s best interests.

On Sunday, Owens confirmed that he has still not received a response from the superintendent.

Neither has District 4 City Council member Patricia Auch, who represents the portion of Mableton where the property is located. She spoke during public comment at the Sep. 19 school board meeting. 

“I’ve been getting a lot of questions from constituents about the purpose and use of that property…” she said. “So I would just like to ask that you disclose the plans for the property to open feedback and engagement from citizens, and to work with city of Mableton elected officials for transparency to have a good relationship with the city, and us with the Cobb County School District.”

Rebecca Gaunt earned a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in education from Oglethorpe University. After teaching elementary school for several years, she returned to writing. She lives in Marietta with her husband, son, two cats, and a dog. In her spare time, she loves to read, binge Netflix and travel.