Coweta County’s residents continued to voice their opposition to new zoning districts during Tuesday’s County Commission meeting.

The issue that drew the most comments from the crowd was the new residential infill districts. the planning Department claims the districts will help preserve more of the county’s greenspace by clustering development on areas that are already near existing cities or tons, but the residents heartily disagreed.

“This is just what pathways was proposing in Sharpsburg and it got turned down. Do people with hundreds of acres have more property rights than me?” wondered Polly Garlington.

Mary Fowler, who lives on Parks Road, said the county was moving too quickly in trying to institute the new zoning districts.

“We can’t proceeds until all the historical areas and ‘sweet spots’ worth saving are defined by the county,” she said.

The only person speaking in favor of the districts was landscape architect Dennis Drewer.

“The infill districts are excellent. This is how you grow and create open space by clustering developments. it’s worked everywhere it’s been tried,’ he said.
After hearing the public’s comments, County Commission chairman Tom Higgins closed the public hearing and asked for the commissioners to submit in writing any changes to the ordinance to the county’s staff.

The County Commission is expected to vote on the new zoning districts in March, but continued the moratorium on new residential development until May 7, so the staff could incorporate any changes into the new ordinances.

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