Opponents still firmly against contested west Cobb development

Oct. 4—A controversial west Cobb development is scheduled for another hearing at Tuesday's Cobb Planning Commission meeting, though opponents of the plan are pessimistic anything has changed since last month's hearing.

The proposal reintroduced by Pulte Homes last month requests rezoning in west Cobb for development of a 49-acre parcel near the intersection of Midway Road and Dallas Highway, near Lost Mountain Park. As with its last try at rezoning the old farm, Pulte is facing stiff opposition from some residents of the adjacent Broadlands subdivision.

Earlier this year, residents initially raised concerns about a possible increase in stormwater runoff and flooding at the Broadlands, which sits downstream of the property in question. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has identified the area as a high-risk area for flooding, according to documents prepared by Cobb County staff.

At last month's hearing, Hosack defended the plan against a series of criticisms raised by opponents, arguing the stormwater issue was in fact based on the property being undeveloped without adequate infrastructure.

The commission voted 5-0 to hold the development for 30 days so that Pulte could revise its plan to include larger lot sizes to address concerns about stormwater while keeping a focus on green space and land conservation, which opponents of the development had requested.

In an email shared with the MDJ, Ryan Fuquea, an opponent of the development who lives in a neighboring subdivision, told planning and county commissioners Pulte did not appear to submit revised plans for the Oct. 4 meeting. Thus, he said, he and others remain convinced nothing would change at the upcoming hearing.

"So while Mr. Hosack stated that this 30 day hold would not be a waste of time it appears that it actually is, as without this plan being 'authorized' by the applicant and submitted for the hearing we see no indication that there will be a meaningful effort to find constructive progress toward addressing current community concerns," Fuquea said.

Hosack did not immediately respond to the MDJ's request for comment for this story.

Planning commissioners will hear the case in the commission room at 100 Cherokee Street in Marietta on Tuesday, Oct. 4 beginning at 9 a.m.