Friday, July 29, 2005

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County objects to Newnan annexation plans

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

Coweta is doing its best to try and keep the spreading tentacles of the city of Newnan from reaching out any farther.

Last Thursday, the County Commission voted to object to the city’s plans to annex 77 acres at Poplar Road and Interstate 85. The city wants to develop a myriad of uses on the property. Plans sent to the county indicate the city wants to zone 21 acres to RS-15, medium single-family density; .6 acres to Office and Institutional and the remaining 13.3 acres as CGN, General Commercial.

One of the main objections the county has is the increased density of the city’s zoning request. In his memo to the County Commission, Planning Director Robert Tolleson showed the difference the city’s zoning would have for the area.

“The RS-15 zoning district will permit 47 units on the 21.24 acres. The RR (current county zoning) will allow 13 units,” Tolleson wrote.

Tolleson also said the variety of zonings sought for the site could have “substantially negative effects on public roadways due to an increase of vehicular traffic.”

Tolleson added the zoning districts sought by the city are not consistent with the county’s Future Land Use Map and do not provide an easy transition from urban areas to nearby rural developments

If the county wanted to sign off on the annexation, Tolleson suggested several mitigative measures, including:

• Performing a traffic study at the intersection. Future plans call for an interstate interchange near the site and Tolleson what types of traffic improvement measures would have to be completed.

•Planting a vegetative buffer along the property’s border with any existing county property.

The County Commission instructed Tolleson to send a letter of objection to the city and keep the board informed of the ongoing negotiations.