A controversial private baseball and soccer park proposed for Cobb County has nearby residents crying foul, and the officials reconsidering how parks built by private developers will be handled in the future.
John Varner wants to build his West Cobb Sports Complex — six baseball fields, two soccer fields, an observation tower and an infield training diamond — on 45 acres at Macland and Villa Rica roads.
But neighbors say because the park is private, it was permitted without going through the Planning Commission review process. That means neighbors did not have an opportunity to raise concerns about how the development will impact their quality of life.
Varner initially applied for a Special Land Use Permit with the county’s Planning Commission — which would have been necessary because his development initially included a 20,000-square-foot indoor training facility. But after facing significant opposition, Varner withdrew his application, removed the building from the site plan and received a permit to build a park without a public hearing.
Varner did not return phone message seeking comment for this story.
Evelyn Dinkins lives across Wilkins Circle from the proposed development, where she boards horses and provides riding lessons. Dinkins said noise from baseball tournaments and soccer games will scare the horses and make it difficult for her to conduct business. She is also concerned about traffic, storm water runoff and light pollution.
“The way he’s going about the process, we’re not getting our rights to provide any input, any stipulations, any control over what happens to a piece of property that is zoned residential,” Dinkins said.
The West Cobb Sports Complex, to be operated by a nonprofit, would charge for use of the facility.
Rob Hosack, director of the county’s community development department, said there is no clear definition for private parks in the county code, and they are allowed in all zoning codes.
“As a rule of thumb, if it has stuff like a normal county park — baseball fields, soccer fields, playground equipment — then it’s a private park,” Hosack said. “We definitely need to tighten up some of the definitions and regulations.”
Hosack said his staff will recommend to the commission that all future private parks go through the Planning Commission.
“From here on out, even if it’s just a little 3-acre passive park, it’s better to send them through the process in the interest of transparency,” Hosack said. “I imagine that will make some private parks supporters upset.”
But the West Cobb Sports Complex will not have to go through a public process. That leaves neighbors looking forward to an appeal with the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals. If that fails, the group says it will then appeal to Cobb Superior Court.
Keli Gambrill, president of the civic organization People Looking After Neighborhoods, said the development will have significant impact on the community — with 850 parking spaces and an estimated 7,000 car trips per day. She said having all parks go through the zoning process is a “step in the right direction,” but that the West Cobb park should also be forced to go through the public process.
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