The proposal to construct an asphalt plant on Elzie Johnson Road off Ga. Highway 154 on the property of the Vulcan Madras Quarry received the approval of the Coweta County Commission at its Sept. 15 meeting.

The move by commissioners followed the Sept. 1 recommendation by the Zoning Board of Appeals that a Conditional Use Permit be approved contingent on the compliance with customary local and state regulations and with the understanding that Baldwin refurbish and repaint the plant using neutral colors. The asphalt plant for the site will be one that will be moved from its current location in College Park.

Commissioners also approved the height variance request that called for Baldwin to install contiguous planting throughout the the 15-foot deep buffer between the property and I-85. Several customary conditions also accompanied the approval.
The Conditional Use Permit request was for construction of a 546 square-foot building with six parking spaces. The height variance request dealt with the installation of three 70-foot silos for asphalt storage. The variance was needed because the ordinance calls for a maximum height of 34 feet, 11 inches. Traffic projections noted an estimated 64 total trips per day from the asphalt plant.

The proposed project had raised the concerns of some of Vulcan’s neighbors in Springwater Plantation and Arbor Springs subdivisions, who had insisted since the proposal first surfaced that it would result in potential problems with air quality, stormwater runoff, degraded visual aesthetics, the possibility of bad smells coming from the site and additional truck traffic in what was said to already be a congested area.

The Baldwin Madras Plant project has already been through the DRI (Development of Regional Impact) process was approved by Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and by Chattahoochee Flint RDC, now known as Three Rivers Regional Commission. Other information on the DRI application noted that the project would have an estimated value of $500,000 at build-out and would generate approximately $5,660 in property taxes and $250,000-500,000 in sales taxes.

Some of the same subdivisions opposed to the Baldwin project also opposed a move by commissioners earlier this year to grant a rezoning request to expand the quarry operations of Vulcan Materials Company. Area homeowners in their oppoition cited concerns over various quality of life issues relating to blasting such as cracks in walls and the amount of noise that would be experienced throughout the neighborhood.

login to post comments