Friday, June 8, 2001
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Friday, June 8, 2001 |
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City reverses Rockaway zoning decision By JOHN
THOMPSON
After nearly two years of court cases and zoning votes, developer Steve Entrekin will be able to build homes on Rockaway Road in Senoia. Monday night, the Senoia City Council turned back its April 2 vote to deny annexing and rezoning nearly 120 acres. The council voted 4-1 to approve the first reading of an annexation ordinance and took the first step toward ending one of the most contentious periods in recent Senoia zoning history. Entrekin owns two tracts and will place more than 120 homes on the 134 acres. The developer is asking for the R-40 open space development zoning, which allows him to have half-acre lots, but he would have to reserve 25 percent of the acreage as open space. City planner Bill Johnston recommended the council approve the zoning back in April since development north of the city is planned for residential use and the market tendency is toward smaller lots. Entrekin said the homes would be at least 1,800 square feet in size and start at $200,000. The controversy started nearly two years ago, when Senoia notified Coweta County it wanted to annex the property. The matter eventually wound up in the Georgia Supreme Court, where the court ruled in the county's favor and against the annexation. But after the decision, the city went back to the county and agreed that any lots in the development bordering the unincorporated area would be 1.6 acres, to match the county's minimum size. After the city and county agreed, the matter came before the City Council in April, and council turned down the request, much to the surprise of Mayor Joan Trammell. Monday night, Councilmen Robert Hannah and Darren Ratajski reversed their earlier votes and said they were satisfied that internal issues in the city, such as the inspection process, had been resolved to allow the development. "I never said I was against annexation. I just want to make sure we take care of our own first," said Hannah. Entrekin said he does not believe the homes will be fully occupied until 2004.
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