It was a no.
The Bartow County Planning Commission denied both parts of an application to build 375 homes in an agricultural area on Riverbend Road in their meeting Monday night. Approximately 45 people attending, in opposition to the request, erupted in applause.
The final word will come from Bartow County Commissioner Steve Taylor, who will receive the board’s recommendation for denial. The case will be heard at the May 13 commissioner’s meeting at 10 a.m.
SA Land Group LLC applied to change the land use map from rural estate to low-density residential and to rezone the 122 acres from A-1 to R-8 for a residential development. Developer Adam Baker spoke on behalf of the project, saying the development would have 9,000-square-foot lots, a swimming pool, multiple smaller “pocket parks,” and a dog park.
Nearby residents said the project, planned for family land a quarter-mile off 411 on Hardin Bridge Road between Kingston and Euharlee, wasn’t a good fit for the area. The cited traffic, destruction of natural areas, and chemical runoff are reasons to deny it.
“We don’t need that drainage and that mess coming onto our property,” said Mandy Dupree, who owns a working farm next door. She said chemicals residential homeowners would use for lawn treatments would flow into her stocked pond and could affect the grass her cows eat.
The proposed deal has pitted family members against each other. The estate, which began four generations ago, is owned by several. One of the descendants is seeking to sell a portion of the estate for development, which could change the landscape and affect the family legacy.
“People want to grow on that land,” said Paul Nuir, whose great-grandfather settled the land and who lives on a portion of it now. “They want to swim in the river. They want the river to be taken care of. They want to fish.”
Nuir said he no longer talks to his uncle, who wants to sell the land.
“That should show how much I do not like this,” he said.
Others pointed out that the land use map keeps the area agricultural, and changing it would open the floodgates to other developments in the area. The planning commission briefly mentioned a similar development near Euharlee that it denied recently.
Commission member Greg Bowen said the board needs to start demanding bigger lots for developments and that he wished Taylor would take a harder stance against overdevelopment.
“At some point, we’ve got to say this is not good for the county,” he said.
In other business:
The board approved a recommendation in a 4-1 vote to allow a conditional use permit on 25 acres of land on Hall Station Road for a solar farm. Property owner Matt Dahlhouser said the 270-acre farm is his family retreat, and the solar farm will be used for personal power use and to sell to Georgia Power.
The application had opposition from a neighbor who owns 250 acres and from Barnsley Gardens and Resort located nearby.
The board approved a land use amendment and a rezoning from agricultural to commercial for land on Bryan Lane to allow Grizzly Tree Experts LLC to build an office and park equipment. It was approved as a conditional use permit. A nearby housing development said they weren’t opposed to the change.
Board members also approved rezoning one acre on Pinelog Road from agricultural to residential to build a single-family home. Property owners said the land will be subdivided into two lots, allowing for a second home on one of the lots.
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.