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2/3/10 |
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Henry Homeowners Articles |
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Mr. Shanahan’s Article |
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Proposed Future Land Use Plan Allows Apartment Complexes Near Schools and Single Family Neighborhoods between Foster Drive and Eagles Landing
Henry County's Zoning Board is set to approve a proposal at its December 18, 2008 meeting that will pave the way for developers to construct thousands of units of apartments in the areas around Eagles Landing Parkway, Jodeco Road and Jonesboro Road, stretching east to Route 42 and beyond.
Residents of these areas, which are dominated by neighborhoods of single family homes, oppose the measure.
The proposal, which is part of the draft Comprehensive Future Land Use Plan, eliminates much of the traditional single family zoning in the affected area, replacing it with high density zoning classifications that allow for multifamily apartment and commercial retail development. Dozens of traditional single family neighborhoods and communities will be negatively impacted by the change, including Eagles Landing, Fox Run, Meadowbrook, Dailey's Mill, Orchard Park, The Glen, Windsong, Parkside, The Magnolias, Southgate and numerous others.
The proposed Land Use Plan makes it possible to build apartment buildings adjacent to single family neighborhoods with densities as high as 16 units per acre. Much of the area is currently zoned for one unit per acre. The plan also contemplates the development of new retail "strip centers" that have become common in Henry County and surrounding areas.
The neighborhoods and communities impacted by the change are served primarily by Flippen and Hickory Flat Elementary and Eagles Landing Middle and High Schools.
Area residents are coming together to oppose the sweeping changes proposed in the new Land Use Plan, citing the negative impact that apartment and commercial retail development will have on public safety, local schools and transportation in the area.
Residents point to the spike in violent crime and property crime in other areas of Henry and Clayton counties where apartment dwellings have been built. They note as an example the gang murders of two girls during a high school graduation party at St. Ives Crossing apartments in Stockbridge in June 2007.
Residents also observe that the introduction of apartment development to the area will add thousands of new students to the area's already overcrowded schools. The schools currently lack the facilities, staff and other resources necessary to handle the expected influx of students from new apartment complexes. The introduction of apartment developments to other areas in Henry and Clayton counties have led to an apparent decline in school quality and educational achievement in the schools in those areas.
Area residents also oppose the Land Use Plan as currently proposed because the apartments and sprawling retail strip centers will strain the area's already stressed transportation infrastructure beyond the breaking point as tens of thousands of additional cars and trucks are added to the roads. With the deepening economic crisis and the fiscal challenges faced by Henry County and the State of Georgia, there is little money available to address the transportation issues presented by such development. Residents point to the congested 138 corridor through Clayton and Henry counties as an example of the negative impact of unrestricted apartment and commercial retail development on transportation infrastructure.
Residents also point out that Henry County has little need for additional apartment or retail development of any kind, given the low occupancy rates in area apartment buildings and retail "strip centers" as well as the large number of unsold homes in the area.
The pressure from developers for unrestricted apartment development is already underway and threatening the Meadowbrook subdivision and neighborhoods near Foster Drive. Residents began organizing earlier last month when Emerald Capital Partners filed an application and appeared before the Zoning Board seeking to rezone an area designated residential agricultural use to allow for the development of a 352 unit apartment complex.
The planning department recommended denial of Emerald Capital's request, citing various issues, including the impact the apartments would have on the transportation infrastructure. The Board of Education filed information in response to the request, noting that the apartments would bring as many as 500 students into Flippen Elementary and Eagles Landing Middle and High Schools.
Nearly 200 people attended to Zoning Board meeting to voice their opposition. The developer's representative, in his presentation to the Board, insisted that he was entitled to build apartments in the area because he thought that it was the "highest and best" use. He made it clear to the Board that, in his opinion, the impact on schools, transportation and public safety were not the responsibility of the developer.
The Zoning Advisory Board and the Board of Commissioners wish to hear from residents who oppose the sweeping changes contained in the proposed land use plan. Those who oppose the development of apartments and unrestricted retail in the area should write or email the following: Commissioner, District IV
Mr. Randy Stamey (district3@co.henry.ga.us) Commissioner, District III
Mr. William Herndon (ur4sureok@aol.com) Zoning Advisory Board District IV Representative
Mr. Terry Echols (TEchols@bellsouth.net) Zoning Advisory Board District III Representative
B.J. Mathis, Chair, Board of Commissioners (district2@co.henry.ga.us)
Scott McCarter, Chairman, Zoning Advisory Board (sdmccarter@charter.net)
Allen Guimarin (guimarin@henry.k12.ga.us) Board of Education Representative, Zoning Advisory Board
Ray Hudalla, Chairman, Board of Education (ray.hudalla@henry.k12.ga.us)
Charles Vickery, Board of Education District III (charles.vickery@henry.k12.ga.us)
Erik Charles, Board of Education District IV (erik.charles@henry.k12.ga.us) |
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Mr. Shanahan’s Letter To the Commissioners. |
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Dear Messrs. Bowman, Stamey, Herndon and Echols: I live in Eagle's Landing Country Club subdivision in Commission District 4. I write to express my strong opposition to the elements of the Draft Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Future Land Use Map ("Draft Plan") that will convert the area surrounding my neighborhood from residential, single family use (yellow) to high density multifamily and commercial retail uses (brown and red). I respectfully request that you condition your approval of the Draft Plan on retaining the low density residential uses (yellow) and, otherwise, the current zoning uses, in the following areas:
- All areas around Eagles Landing Country Club, Southgate, Flippen Elementary and Eagles Landing Middle and High Schools; - All areas on and along Foster Drive and Oak Grove Road; - All areas along Jodeco Road to SR 42; - All areas along Eagles Landing Parkway from I-75 to SR 42; - All areas along SR 42 between Eagles Landing Parkway and Jodeco Road; and - All areas along Dailey Mill Road. As you know, the area between Eagles Landing Parkway and Jodeco Road and between Jodeco and Jonesboro Roads running east to SR 42 is dominated by neighborhoods of single family homes, including my own. The Draft Plan proposes to drastically alter much of this area in favor of high density, multi-family apartments of up to sixteen units per acre along with untold amounts of sprawling commercial retail centers. This kind of development will lead to: a) rising violent crime; b) rising property crime; c) declining educational quality and achievement in our schools (Flippen and Hickory Flat Elementary, Eagles Landing Middle and High); and d) massive transportation problems and gridlock. Like my neighbors, I chose to live in this area because I prefer a community of single family homes in a safe environment where I can get to know my neighbors, raise my family, send my children to good schools and make a contribution to my community. Our neighborhoods are so much more than the physical structures of the houses you see when you walk or drive the streets. Those of us who live in these neighborhoods have spent many years building friendships, businesses, community institutions, schools and churches. We have invested much more than money in this area. The Draft Plan represents a rejection of the current character and lifestyle of this area in favor of high density development which is not in keeping with the preferences, expectations and traditions of those of us who live here. The inevitable result will be declining home values, lower quality of life, and the loss of the lifestyle and cohesiveness of our traditional single family neighborhoods. Apartments and multifamily dwellings represent a serious threat to the schools in our area. As you know, Henry and Clayton counties already have thousands of units of high density apartment complexes. As a general rule, the apartment complexes have proven to be magnets for crime, as evidenced by the recent gang murders of two high school girls at a Stockbridge apartment complex. I understand that the construction of those apartment complexes also coincided with precipitous declines in student and school performance in the schools serving the impacted attendance zones. Our schools are already overburdened and the county and the school system lack the resources and taxpayer support to effectively address overcrowding and other educational challenges as it is. The densities proposed in the Draft Plan should be opposed on this basis alone. The elements of the Draft Plan that permit the construction of more retail "strip centers" in the areas described above are particularly ill-advised. Any casual observer traveling along Eagles Landing Parkway, SR 42 and/or Jodeco Road will see several such "strip centers" that are only partially occupied at best. There is little need to allocate yet more space and resources to this purpose. Apartment and retail developers are already lining up to exploit this area, hoping that the Zoning Advisory Board and Commissioners will ignore the community's preferences. For example, in recent weeks, apartment developer Emerald Capital Partners appeared before the Zoning Advisory Board demanding zoning changes to allow them to build a 352 unit apartment complex on Foster Drive adjacent to Meadowbrook subdivision and numerous other traditional single family homes. If approved, that development would add over 500 students to our already crowded schools and create spikes in crime and additional transportation problems. The developer's representative made it clear to the Board that the impact on public safety, schools and transportation was of no concern to the developer; he insisted that he was entitled to the "highest and best use." This sort of attitude and approach will be detrimental to the community. It is my understanding that the Zoning Advisory Board will vote to recommend approval of the Draft Plan on December 18, 2008 and that the Board of Commissioners will then cast its own vote to adopt the plan in the near future. I respectfully ask that you consider the views and preferences of the people who make up these single family home communities and insist on the changes outlined above before approving the Draft Plan.
Thank you for your kind attention to this issue.
Sincerely
Thomas C. Shanahan Shanahan.thomas@gmail.com
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