Homeowners don't want Honda for neighbor in Woodstock

The annexation roiled many in the 150-home, 25-year-old subdivision. More than 100 homeowners signed a petition to stop the annexation. Nearly 80 came to the Monday meeting but only half could not get in because more than 80 Honda employees and supporters arrived early and packed the room.

Lloyd Langston, whose home will be one door down from the parking lot said, "We had elderly residents forced to stand out in a hall where they couldn't see or hear."

Peter Hennessy, a co-owner of the dealership, said American Honda Motor Co. requires a certain amount of space and the dealership is under that requirement and still growing. It has been renting parking space nearby and has to hire more people to handle logistics, which is expensive. The car wash owner turned down a $500,000 offer, he said, and the site would not provide enough parking space without necessary expensive work, including moving storm water drain pipes and re-engineering a retaining pond. Moving the business could be required if it did not get the space it needs, he said.

Hennessy said the business does not want to move from a site where it has been successful. It will try to be a good neighbor by building a berm, using low-level lighting and spending $60,000 on landscaping to hide it.

"Our goal is to make that an amenity, not a detriment to the neighborhood," he said.

Frank Jenkins, an attorney from a firm Kingsridge residents pooled their money to hire, pointed out by way of contrast that Hennessy got the standard buffer between commercial and residential property cut from 75 feet to 35. Jenkins argued to the city council to no effect that the variance and other factors were violations of city ordinances.

Langston said, "Everything was kowtowing to [Hennessy's] needs rather than doing anything for the residents."

Councilwoman Tracy Collins questioned Jenkins sharply during the Monday meeting, asking if he could guarantee Hennessy would not move if the dealer did not get the space. Jenkins said as a representative of those opposing the dealer's request, he had no power to influence them.

Collins then asked how often he had represented a coalition of homeowners along Ga. 92 in other zoning cases. The coalition sued Woodstock in the past, forcing the city to hold a public hearing on a commercial rezoning it had tried to pass without a hearing.

Tuesday, Jenkins said, "I could tell very quickly which way it was going."

Collins got an email afterward from Thais Escondo, a county planning board member who attended the meeting. Escondo lives outside the city limits and is an organizer for the Ga. 92 coalition. The email criticizes Collins for "accusatory and aggressive questioning of individuals who were participating in the public hearing."

Collins responded by e-mail, telling Escondo " ... when you become a city resident I will put merit in what comments you have to say to me and about me but until you become a CITY TAXPAYING RESIDENT I will just hit the delete button!!!"

Collins said by telephone she believes Escondo has "bullied" city councils in the past and that she was not going to put up with it.

"I feel we made the right choice for the city of Woodstock," Collins said, but declined to explain details of her decision.

She said the city attorney informed council members Wednesday to not comment because of the threat of a lawsuit by the Kingsridge neighbors. Earlier, Councilman Chris Cadia said part of his decision was made on a property-rights issue: homeowners had a right to sell to whomever they wished. And Councilman Bud Leonard told the "Cherokee Tribune" his decision came down to a question of keeping the tax base strong.

The city planning board had recommended 7-0 that the city not annex the property.

Jeff Wood, a planning board member, said after hearing more, he thinks the city council made the right decision.

"I think the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few sometimes," he said.