BOC nixes 67-home subdivision in south Cobb

Jun. 16—MARIETTA — A 67-home proposed subdivision on Queen Mill Road in south Cobb was unanimously rejected by the Cobb Board of Commissioners Tuesday.

Commissioner Monique Sheffield, who represents the area, said the application from Green Line Partners was rife with issues. That, along with significant community opposition, caused her to move for denial, as the county's Planning Commission did last month.

Attorney James Balli told the board Green Line had made significant modifications to meet the concerns of neighbors and advocacy groups including the Mableton Improvement Coalition. Those included significantly reducing the density of the property from 5.3 to 3.17 units per acre, adding additional landscaping, and increasing buffers with neighboring properties. The property sits on Queen Mill Road between Veterans Memorial and Mableton Parkways.

"We've listened to real community concerns from neighbors," Balli said, pointing out that of 193 people who originally signed a petition against the development, only nine were in attendance.

Balli also found some of the opposition downright unfair. Area residents wrote to him saying the homes—which will likely be priced from $350,000 and up—would attract low-income neighbors, an argument he found "offensive" and "nonsensical."

The attorney's appeal didn't take.

Robin Meyer, head of the Mableton Improvement Coalition's zoning committee, once again spoke out against the development (Meyer urged denial of the application at previous Planning Commission hearings).

"Simply because property can be developed to a density such as you see on this site plan does not mean that it should be developed to that density," Meyer said. She went on to condemn the proposed landscaping, parking, and amenity plans (or lack thereof), concluding, "this is simply not up to standard."

Following comments from several other area residents who were also in opposition, Sheffield wasted little time in shooting down Green Line's design. The site plan "does not foster a sense of community," the subdivision "does not have any amenities to offer its residents," and the stormwater management plan created "a potential for known drainage problems."

"The zoning request has presented an impasse between the applicant and the community," Sheffield said. "I would draw the conclusion that ... the revised plan submitted ... is what we call in real estate your 'highest and best offer.' Unfortunately, the offer that has been presented does not fit the vision of the community."

"The entire community weighed in," Sheffield added after the meeting. "My decision was based on the fact that the site plan just wasn't a good site plan."