It now appears that the first case of mediation on an annexation dispute on Rockaway Road between Senoia and Coweta County will go the distance.

Monday night, the Senoia City Council rejected the recommendations of a mediator hired to try a reach a decision between the county and the council.

According to city Planning Commission member Jack Merrick, the mediator recommended a lower density on the property than the city wants.

The mediation is a result of House Bill 489, which requires cities and counties to work toward compromise solutions on annexation disputes.

The dispute started in April after the county received an annexation notice from the city of Senoia.

County planner Robert Tolleson told the commission the city wants to annex approximately 55 acres on Rockaway Road, near the Twin Lakes subdivision.

Currently, the property is zoned Rural Reserve in the county, which requires a minimum five-acre lot size. But Tolleson explained that the owner of the property could apply for an R-200 zoning, which allows a minimum lot size of 1.6 acres in the county.

If the property was annexed into the city, the property would be in Senoia's R-1 zoning category, which requires only a one-acre lot size.

Since the annexation would significantly increase the density of homes allowed on the property, Tolleson asked the commission to file an objection and asked for mediation in the case.

“Sewer is a big concern and I'm sure it's cheaper to pay city of Senoia taxes than do 1.6 acres,” said County Commission chairman Lawrence Nelms.

Tuesday night, the commission accepted the recommendations of the mediator, but since both parties could not agree, the dispute is headed to another mediation round.

If the parties disagree again on the mediator's recommendations, the matter will ultimately be decided in a local court, which would suit Senoia city attorney Kemp Wright.

“It's time a court decides this,” he said.

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