A controversial residential development on Euharlee Road gains approval from Bartow County Commissioner Steve Taylor Wednesday after developers concede to a lower density and added self-imposed conditions.
The Revive Land Group remastered their original application for an R-8 high-density residential zoning for 55 acres at 264 Euharlee Road to an R-1 designation. That designation is the lowest density of residential zoning. The change moved construction from 2.38 homes per acre to 1.74 homes per acre, resulting in developers building 96 homes instead of 131houses originally planned.
Upfront Properties LLC and John Lewis own the property.
Neville Allision of Revive Land Group told Taylor is agreed to several conditions after meeting several times with the residents of Westgate, an adjacent subdivision. Conditions include:
- Resolving storm water issues between the two properties.
- Removing dead pine trees in the buffer zone
- Adding bat boxes to protect the tri-color bat population
- Implementing erosion control measures
- Constructing turning lanes for traffic flow
Two residents spoke at the meeting with one stating she changed her mind from opposition to supporting the project. The other, Westgate resident Terry Ayer, remained opposed with Ayer questioning why this project would be considered when Taylor issued a six-month moratorium for zoning and construction applications for Euharlee Road until a road study is done.
Taylor said the original application for this project was made before he issued the moratorium.
“I think road should be first,” Ayer said, adding that development is going to increase the need for additional police and fire personnel.
In other business:
The commission approved rezoning 4.19 acres at 17 Grassdale Road from A-1 to R-3 where 40 homes are planned. Attorney Harry White represented J&A Construction & Homebuilders LLC in the request. Neighbor Jim McFarland said he wasn’t against the rezoning but had concerns about traffic at the intersection of Cassville and Grassdale Roads and wanted assurances that no more than 40 homes would be built.
Zoning restrictions dictate how many homes are built, officials said.
The commissioner approved a conditional use permit to allow Barnsley Garden Road land to be used as an event center. Leslie Simmons, representing the applicant, said it will be for weddings and asked for five cottages to be included in the approval, even though those are long-term plans. The cottages would be used for the wedding party and overnight guests and would not be regular rentals, she said.
Taylor approved most of a text amendment to the county’s zoning laws but tabled a section about conditional use permits at Simmons’ request. The section was meant to address expansion of operations requesting conditional use permits, such as adding more chicken houses or solar farm equipment. Simmons said it was confusing. Taylor wanted to look at it further.
The county accepted a $141,301 grant for the public transit trust fund and approved applying for a $2 million fire and emergency services FEMA grant. The FEMA grant has a 10 percent local match and officials state it will be used to buy a new tanker truck, if approved.
The county approved numerous surplus property items for sale, including three ice makers, scaffolding, three generators, two air compressors, a trash pump, a lawn mower, and a landfill compactor. Those items can be found on govdeals.com.
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.