[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6121556,"mediaKeyId","2700921-ab1c595f10cdffb76a611e21363b4d10","parentId",2700921,"title","Henry County planners approve several rezonings, deny others; residents press water, traffic and housing‑quality concerns","audioSeconds",1560,"startMs",2185000,"endMs",3745000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2700921-ab1c595f10cdffb76a611e21363b4d10&start=2185&end=3745","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2700921-ab1c595f10cdffb76a611e21363b4d10/thumbnail_2185000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6121556/Henry-County/Georgia/Henry-County-planners-approve-several-rezonings-deny-others-residents-press-water-traffic-and-housingquality-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6121556-c5b8e2697e4f0ec78fee93e8f0871f75/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164540&Signature=Df86-uBNYjJ8-YF9KHlNmPqIbby9D3yhV2NZh1s-2dSXGjazMvGQH5L8TpKcrxzCVCiz-3f4lGPl1sMzj9ceDvpbScvMgpZ6Lkb-aERDD9UQO1BuFuhfaHG87ILyxJEqzFyegTHXdzc1oUwE~Bp0ZTccf6wqETL0w~gz0Lcn-Dqzoc5UEcCRsRmJbiUwJj~UYukoW78lgo4GzGMVyQQfXl7rtYDiXCRypLu5g7f5VQc~t6~-GnO5gCcvlt~YN68hOmeyE7oeIv5Jru0klmqEwx5NrvcZlEGgQjhqK6bQDZzXleEYpo6qTrFd2pQ3DrYhupz67u1BxBPC8IFpfjgfCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Henry County","date","2025-03-13T00:00:00Z","article","The Henry County Planning Commission took up a string of rezoning and comprehensive‑plan amendment requests at its meeting, approving some proposals with conditions and denying others after public comment about water, traffic and housing quality.

Staff presentations and applicant remarks described multiple projects that night: a 22.19‑acre rezoning to allow townhomes near McDonough Parkway (RZ‑24‑19, Arrowhead Real Estate Partners), a 115.08‑acre mixed‑use rezoning for the Villages at Ola (RZ‑23‑18 / North Ola Land Holdings), a small neighborhood commercial rezoning for a former residence (RZ‑24‑30, Tim Broyles), and a larger mixed plan from Liberty Communities that sought a comprehensive‑plan amendment and rezoning (AM‑24‑03 / RZ‑24‑12). The commission approved some requests and rejected others; public commenters and environmental advocates repeatedly urged stronger conservation and stormwater controls.

Why it matters: zoning and future‑land‑use decisions shape density, traffic, school impacts and local watersheds. Several applicants pledged amenities, homeowner association maintenance and limits on rentals; opponents, including Conserve Henry and the Walnut Creek Watershed Coalition, warned that current stormwater standards do not remove many pollutants and asked for conservation designs instead of mass clearance.

Votes at a glance

- RZ‑24‑19 (Arrowhead Real Estate Partners, Norcross): Rezoned 22.19 acres from C‑3 (Highway Commercial) to RM (Residential Multi‑family) for a townhome development (proposed ~149 units). Staff recommended approval; the commission approved the rezoning with conditions that included working with Parks & Recreation and a minimum 1,800‑square‑foot house size. Motion passed unanimously (5–0).

- RZ‑23‑18 (North Ola Land Holdings / Villages at Ola): Rezoning from RA to MU for 115.08 acres, proposing a mixed‑use project with a senior housing component and roughly 234 residential units plus commercial space. The Atlanta Regional Commission reviewed the project as a development of regional impact (DRI). The commission approved the rezoning with conditions including a 5% rental cap and HOA maintenance requirements; motion passed unanimously (5–0).

- RZ‑24‑30 / BR‑24‑17 (Tim Broyles): Rezoning of a 0.543‑acre lot on Old South Ola Road from RA to C‑1 (neighborhood commercial) and an associated variance from Highway Corridor Overlay requirements were both approved. The applicant said the building will be used as an office and that only interior renovations are planned. The rezoning motion was approved (vote recorded in transcript as 4–1 in favor); the variance was approved (unanimous).

- AM‑25‑01 / RZ‑24‑16 (D. R. Horton): A comprehensive‑plan amendment and rezoning request for 110.885 acres to allow a septic‑served single‑family subdivision was considered. The Commission voted to disapprove the comprehensive‑plan amendment, and later voted 4–1 to deny the associated rezoning request.

- AM‑24‑03 / RZ‑24‑12 (Liberty Communities): Liberty sought a map amendment to increase the future‑land‑use density on roughly 38.84 acres and an associated rezoning (total site ~89.16 acres) for a mix of townhomes and single‑family homes. The commission rejected the comprehensive‑plan amendment (vote 2–3) and later rejected the rezoning motion (vote 2–3).

Key discussion points and conditions

- Water and stormwater: Commenters including Mark LaRue of the Walnut Creek Watershed Coalition and other speakers urged conservation subdivisions and stricter controls, saying Georgia’s standard stormwater detention ponds regulate flow but do not remove many pollutants. Developers responded they had completed wetland/stream delineations where applicable and that stormwater ponds and water‑quality controls would be designed to the Georgia Stormwater Manual and county stormwater ordinance and reviewed by county staff.

- Housing size and quality: Multiple residents and commissioners pressed applicants to raise minimum house sizes and improve exterior materials. The commission added minimum square‑foot conditions in at least two approvals: 1,800 square feet for the Arrowhead townhome site and the New Hope Road conservation subdivision (the latter reported in a separate action). Liberty Communities and other applicants showed elevations described as “modern farmhouse” and said units would offer 2‑ to 4‑bedroom options; Liberty agreed to homeowner association controls and a 10% rental cap as a staff condition.

- Traffic, amenities and parks: Commissioners and residents asked about traffic study requirements, master park plan coordination and on‑site amenities. In several approvals the commission required applicants to deliver amenity pods and to coordinate with Parks & Recreation so residents would not need to cross busy corridors to reach green space.

- Rental caps and HOA maintenance: At least two approvals included or recognized conditions limiting rental units (for example, a 5% rental cap for the North Ola/Villages at Ola item and a 10% rental cap referenced for another site) and requiring homeowner associations to maintain common areas.

What applicants said: Michelle Battle, counsel for multiple applicants, argued the requested rezonings matched market demand and the county’s land‑use work in some corridors; Liberty Communities and North Ola applicants described planned amenities, elevations and price expectations (townhomes in the mid‑$300,000s; detached houses starting in the high‑$300,000s to $400,000s in their presentations). The Tim Broyles applicant said the building will be adapted for an office use with interior accessibility improvements.

Public opposition and recurring themes: Conserve Henry, residents from multiple neighborhoods and watershed advocates repeatedly urged denial or stronger conditions, citing water‑quality degradation in county streams, lost canopy from clear‑cutting and demands for conservation subdivisions. Several speakers also questioned whether sewer, school capacity and emergency services could support new development in certain areas.

Next steps: Where the Commission approved rezonings, staff will apply conditions and the records will move forward to the Board of Commissioners for final action (the transcript shows planning‑stage approvals and recorded votes for each item). For the proposals the commission denied, applicants may withdraw, revise or appeal through the county process.

The transcript records detailed staff reports, applicant presentations, multiple public comments and the commission’s votes that resulted in a mix of approvals with conditions and denials.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Zoning Advisory Board Meeting | March 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Henry County Planning Commission took up a string of rezonings and comprehensive‑plan amendments, approving some with conditions and denying others after public comment about water quality, traffic and housing quality.","taxTitle","Henry County, Georgia","taxId",12817,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6121561,"Planning commission approves conservation subdivision on New Hope Road with larger home-size condition",1675,453000,2128000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2700921-ab1c595f10cdffb76a611e21363b4d10&start=453&end=2128","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2700921-ab1c595f10cdffb76a611e21363b4d10/thumbnail_453000.jpg","/articles/6121561/Henry-County/Georgia/Planning-commission-approves-conservation-subdivision-on-New-Hope-Road-with-larger-home-size-condition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6121561-7c65956166c3f60a4217283efe280377/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164540&Signature=GpU6zffpUQ665EkPCVR-0NUy5WCWW1uDQzhgiDnKnkyNtDW5ff8yzU0KYqFt2tJ7FLYBn0YNlvW9DyJ28xW~Yjoj3Q7PbKBh2coPsgezvEiCVJk8alwqIHSEkRrksIUGphUWsEwzwggSG4k-SYhxcYA6F8ujMITvL0cHVSYPvIlJYRn6wsqlSnxJx5dJU6Gl9Lw-kXpDkKXbD01lZyUfJfu~DJnCvikLH~dCih3WeXrTiTkgXxJAl3~5Huwr~pc8eNB2xjvMY6c5syk70MB~oD61DemqDynlB~yXTxQSTv7~dwgJHjeMr9767TqPcm~8ucxbOeOfSpSlKp-tb8WkKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Henry County Planning Commission on a vote approved a conditional‑use request to allow a conservation subdivision on a 44.18‑acre tract along New Hope Road, permitting 50 single‑family lots and setting conditions that include a minimum 1‑acre lot size and a minimum 1,800 square‑foot house size.

The proposal, presented to the commission as CU‑24‑10‑81, was described by Heidi Lively, Planner I, as a conservation subdivision under the county ordinance that requires at least 40% of a site be preserved as open space. The applicant, Steve Moore of Moore Bass Consulting, told the commission the plan would preserve about 53% of the site and locate homes on clustered 1‑acre lots rather than larger conventional lots.

The conservation layout calls for a 50‑foot undisturbed buffer around the property and a 100‑foot buffer along New Hope Road. Because the property lies in the county watershed protection district, the proposal uses individual septic systems and—under county rules for limited‑development areas—proposes 1‑acre minimum lots. The applicant said the development would avoid a nearby 500‑foot water‑quality critical area adjacent to Peeksville Creek.

Neighbors and environmental advocates raised concerns during public comment about intermittent streams, stormwater runoff and long‑term water quality. Mark LaRue of the Walnut Creek Watershed Coalition asked whether intermittent streams on the site had been surveyed and whether a jurisdictional‑waters delineation had been completed. Mike Starnes, an adjacent property owner, and other nearby residents asked for larger houses and broader buffers to protect existing wooded lots.

In response, Moore said a wetland and stream delineation had been completed by Applied Environmental Sciences and that no jurisdictional waters fall inside the proposed development envelope; he also described proposed stormwater controls including earthen detention ponds designed to meet the Georgia Stormwater Manual and Henry County stormwater ordinance. Heidi Lively presented staff’s recommendation of approval with conditions and said county departments had reviewed the plan.

During the motion to approve, a commissioner added two amendments: require a minimum 1,800 square‑foot house size and confirm a 1‑acre minimum lot size for the conservation subdivision. The commission voted to approve the conditional use with those amendments; the motion passed unanimously.

The record at the Planning Commission includes staff presentations, the applicant’s site plan showing 50 one‑acre lots and 53% open space, public comments urging stricter water‑quality controls, and the applicant’s response describing the delineation and planned stormwater measures. The commission’s action is recorded as approval of CU‑24‑10‑81 with the conditions shown in the staff report plus the two floor‑area/lot‑size amendments.

The transcript does not specify subsequent administrative or permitting steps beyond the Commission’s vote.","The Henry County Planning Commission approved a conditional-use permit for a 44.18-acre conservation subdivision on New Hope Road, permitting 50 one‑acre lots and requiring at least 1,800 square feet minimum house size and a 1‑acre minimum lot size as added conditions.","actionData","errors"]

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Henry County planners approve several rezonings, deny others; residents press water, traffic and housing‑quality concerns

Planning commission approves conservation subdivision on New Hope Road with larger home-size condition