The Quality Inn building will be demolished for a new retail center with multi-family units behind it if the Cartersville City Council approves a conditional special use permit.
The council held the first reading and public hearing on the request as part of a series of zoning issues during Thursday night’s meeting. The applicant is Naresh Parikh, one of the owners of the property at 235 S. Dixie Ave.
The property zoning came before the council before concerning a special use permit to build residences behind the old hotel. City regulations don’t allow for mixed use properties.
New plans still call for mixed use property, requiring a special use permit. A representative of the group owning the land said Parikh wants to demolish the Quality Inn, built in the 1970s, immediately. Councilmembers said they want a timeline for the demolition and project construction. They were told that isn’t available now because the building is made of solid concrete and the full plans aren’t ready.
Mayor Matt Santini said the city wasn’t trying to put a hardship on the owners but the city would put timelines in as conditions. It doesn’t want promises made and then not see progress over a long period, he said.
A second reading and vote will happen at the next council meeting June 4.
Other zoning business included first hearings and public hearings on:
- A conditional use permit for 101 Old Mill Road for James Kinnaman of Kinnaman Auto Repair. City officials said they went to the business about a sign issue and discovered the business didn’t have a business permit. It was then discovered the city zoning didn’t allow for an auto repair business at that spot. This would correct that.
- A conditional use permit for 220 Nelson Street. A church in the shopping center expanded to a vacant retail spot next door and religious use isn’t permitted there.
- A zoning and special use permit for 401 and 407 Douglas St. for LifePoint Congregational Methodist Church Inc.
- A special use permit for 21 Leake St. for East Leake Properties LLC.
The city council also approved adding a speed bump to Belmont Drive.
- It approved donating a vehicle to the City of Kingston.
- It approved starting a comprehensive City Sign Program to create a consistent ordinance. It is expected to cost $85,000.
It approved a geotechnical engineering services contract for a water tank. The cost is $33,000.
Melody Dareing is a freelance writer for publications in the U.S, Canada, the UK and Germany. She is a former news director of Adelphia Channel 4 and WBHF Radio. She is on Facebook, X, YouTube, content on Substack, and has a podcast on Rumble.