There’s a ground war over 130 acres of wooded property in western Cobb that is emblematic of the changing landscape of the most rural part of the county.
Developer J.W. Homes wants to build 183 high-end homes on environmentally sensitive land — a development that would preserve about 50 acres of green space but limit the 4,000-square-foot houses to roughly half-acre lots, some of which would extend into flood plain.
It is one of the largest subdivisions proposed in West Cobb since the Great Recession, and the project has caused nearby residents to complain that it would worsen already clogged roads and overcrowded classrooms, and further erode an area known for its wide-open spaces.
Keli Gambrill, president of the non-profit People Looking After Neighborhoods, said West Cobb’s character — two-lane roads, large lots and wooded areas — is being threatened by rampant development.
Since 2013, there have been 115 residential zoning applications in West Cobb, which is more than any two-year stretch since 2006, or just before the recession took hold, according to information provided by Cobb’s Community Development Agency.
“East Cobb has more tightly packed housing, a lot more shopping, more restaurants,” Gambrill said. “Guess what, we moved here because we didn’t want that. We knew we’d have to drive more than a mile to go to the grocery store, and we’re OK with that.
“It’s a different lifestyle choice, and it is under attack.”
Attorney Kevin Moore, who is representing the developer and current land owners in the rezoning application that will be heard by Cobb commissioners next month, said the development is in keeping with the West Cobb lifestyle.
The proposed lot sizes are no different than nearby subdivisions in which some of the project’s harshest critics live, Moore said.
“This development is what West Cobb looks and feels like,” Moore said. “What you achieve with this type of open space development is communities that can thrive and add value. This is responsible planning and development.”
J.W. Homes submitted a plan to the county that said it could build 173 homes under existing zoning, as part of their application for the land to be rezoned to a so-called Open Space Community, in which the developer gets to build more homes in exchange for preserving green space in perpetuity.
The developer is proposing 183 homes, in exchange for preserving the green space, which includes three earthen mounds that were used to elevate Confederate Army artillery during the Battle of Atlanta.
Earlier this month, the Cobb Planning Commission approved the developer’s Open Space Community rezoning application. Planning Commissioner Bob Hovey said that the re-zoning was a good deal for the county — and nearby residents — because it only caused a handful of additional homes and preserved a lot of land.
“Much of the arguments about lousy traffic and problems with the schools are correct,” Hovey said. “But the folks who own this land are citizens too. They have rights to the property they own and they have a right to sell it. The applicant has a plan that shows he can get 173 lots.
“Is it worth 10 additional homes to get protection of green space and historical earthworks that would otherwise be bulldozed.? In my view it is.”
The rezoning passed 5-0, even though county staff had not verified that the developer’s estimate was accurate.
Last week, JW Homes submitted a new site plan that said it could actually get 176 homes on the land under existing zoning.
Critics of the development never bought those estimates. On Friday, they were proved right.
After examining the developer’s site plan, Community Development Director Rob Hosack said a number of houses in the developer’s plan had lots that would extend into buffer areas or into a lake on the property. The actual number of homes that could be built under existing zoning is about 152, he said.
“We’re going to report to [commissioners] that a more realistic number is 152,” Hosack said.
It’s unclear if the change will have an impact on the commissioner’s decision. They could still approve 183 homes under the Open Space zoning. Commissioner Helen Goreham, who represents the area, would only say that the new number of allowable homes under existing zoning will be “a consideration.”
Moore said the developer’s engineers will have to review the county’s assessment to make sure it is accurate. He still thinks the 183 homes is an appropriate plan.
“We believe 183 lots is a great site plan and a great way to develop the property,” Moore said. “To me, it would be a shame to trade preservation of over 50 acres of open space for a difference of … less than 30 lots.”
But Melissa O’Brien, who has been a leader of neighbors criticizing the deal, said the lower number should lower the overall number of homes developed — under the open space guidelines, or not.
The green space they are setting aside for open space is not land they are able to build on anyway — the 150 number proves that,” O’Brien said. “We’re not saying don’t develop. We’re saying develop wisely and responsibly.”
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