Zoning notice signs have gone up along the southwest corner of the Johnson Ferry-Shallowford intersection, and the proposal is a major one that’s been placed on the December calendar.
A little more than 33 acres is being proposed for a mixed-use development that’s quite different than what came before Cobb commissioners before being withdrawn in early 2017.
That was for single-family homes and townhomes by CalAtlantic Group, a residential developer, and drew some vocal community opposition.
What’s been filed with the Cobb Zoning Office would include a megachurch, restaurant and retail space and 125 townhomes.
(You can read the initial filings by clicking here.)
The applicant is different, too: North Point Ministries, Inc., which has seven non-denominational churches in metro Atlanta. The founder is Andy Stanley, son of retired First Baptist Church of Atlanta pastor Charles Stanley.
Since its founding in 1995, North Point has added churches in Buckhead, Gwinnett County, Woodstock and Decatur.
This one would be what North Point is calling its “East Cobb campus.” According to an initial site plan filed with the county, it would be located right on the Johnson Ferry-Shallowford corner, with parking fronting both roads.
The site plan calls for a parking deck facing Shallowford, and parking along Johnson Ferry also is being designated for “future commercial” space that would have restaurant and retail uses; neither of those components have any further details for now.
Those filings also don’t indicate the proposed capacity inside the church—the flagship North Point Community Church in Alpharetta can hold up to 3,000 people, as does North Point’s Buckhead Church.
The rezoning request also calls for 125 townhomes in the back of the development, on either side of Waterfront Drive, under the RM-8 zoning category. The townhomes would have a minimum size of 1,800 square feet.
Most of that land is currently zoned R-20 and is where single-family homes now exist.
The property would be divided by an existing stormwater management area that includes a dry lake. That’s been referred to as Maddox Lake—it was located behind the now-demolished home of former Gov. Lester Maddox along Johnson Ferry.
There aren’t any renderings, elevations or variance requests that are included for now in the rezoning request.
The North Point Ministries rezoning request comes three months after Cobb commissioners approved the Johnson Ferry-Shallowford master plan.
In that plan, several redevelopment options for the southwest intersection of “JOSH” were detailed, most of them of the mixed-use variety.
None of them included a facility for religious worship. The request states that single-family residential use “is economically unfeasible” and that the zoning proposal comforms to the county’s future land use map.
Nearly 30 parcels of land making up the North Point request have been assembled by The ‘True Vine’ Experience Foundation, Inc.; Sara M. Sweeney and Hanna Land Company, Inc.
The latter is headed by Fred Hanna, an East Cobb resident who’s the founder of the Frederick J. Hanna & Associates debt-collection law firm.
The ‘True Vine’ Experience is a pastoral ministry founded by Hanna’s wife, Lynn Hanna, and he’s listed as its CFO and secretary in non-profit filings.
Sweeney is a chiropractor whose practice is at 4260 Shallowford Road, one of the parcels in the assemblage. Hanna interests have owned some of the parcels as early as 2004.
The Cobb Zoning Office hasn’t yet released a detailed analysis of the rezoning request with recommendations.
The Cobb Planning Commission is scheduled to hear the case on Dec. 1 and the Cobb Board of Commissioners on Dec. 15.
Related stories
- Sprayberry Crossing request delayed until December
- Wesley Chapel Road rezoning case gets final approval
- Johnson Ferry-Shalloword master plan adopted by commissioners
- Sprayberry Crossing center holds virtual town hall; revises plans again
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If this is such a great idea why isn’t it being proposed around the corner from where Andy Stanley lives?
175 townhomes with 1800 sq ft each is nothing more than a glorified apartment complex.
I would literally rather have anything else built other than a mega church…
Putting aside, for a minute, that we do NOT need a mega-church in this area – we have plenty of churches already and do not need a “chain” church – or a parking deck for 3,000 cars to accommodate it, it seems to me that there is a major problem with the people who already own the land and are also involved in the development of this behemoth.
The article says: “The latter is headed by Fred Hanna, an East Cobb resident who’s the founder of the Frederick J. Hanna & Associates debt-collection law firm.
The ‘True Vine’ Experience is a pastoral ministry founded by Hanna’s wife, Lynn Hanna, and he’s listed as its CFO and secretary in non-profit filings.
Sweeney is a chiropractor whose practice is at 4260 Shallowford Road, one of the parcels in the assemblage. Hanna interests have owned some of the parcels as early as 2004.”
To that, I say that there is absolutely nothing that will make me support this backscratching nightmare. Not only that – but having nothing available to review a few weeks before the meeting screams either “unprepared – but why?” or “hiding something – but what” to me. My gut reaction? They’re trying to hide how much money they’ll be making from this and hoping we don’t notice how much it’ll cost current residents and in how many different ways.
It’s time that we, the people, to speak out against this. It’s important for us to rally our neighborhoods, to e-mail, write a letter, make a phone call to the Cobb County Board of Commissioners. Does anyone know if we can go to the Board meeting on December 1 and/or December 15? I agree with you, Andrew – ‘A megachurch and a parking deck? Sounds like the eyesore that Buckhead would love.’ That is just the tip of the iceberg – traffic, more accidents
(that corner has resulted in 2 fatal accidents recently) lower property values, over-crowded schools, and more.
Just like the previous proposal, this is completely absurd. I presume their logic is if we throw a church into the mix it’ll be harder for people to shut down the idea. While they’re at it they might as well erect other useful structures… like another bank or long-term storage facility. Next thing you know we’re Buckhead.
Muh traffic! Muh schools!
A nice public housing project would be an ideal use of this property.
I think a nice public housing project would be an ideal use for this property. That would fit in just great with Biden and the Democrats goal of elimination local zoning boards and making the suburbs more “inclusive”.
This needs to be kicked into 2021 when we have brand new faces on the Board of Commissioners. Mike Boyce and Bob Ott are too tied to the Chamber of Commerce and are lame ducks. Hopefully Jerica Richardson, Lisa Cupid and the new commissioner in Lisa’s old district will listen to the community more than the lame ducks.
Could not be a worse plan! Do NOT get rid of the Waterfront Drive to Johnson Ferry access! And we don’t need another 125 families in these schools! And we don’t need this traffic! No way!! Go somewhere else.
People who want politicians to violate others’ property rights say, “We don’t need another…” when what they really mean is “I don’t want…”
Not crazy about a huge parking deck. I’m concerned about the traffic as well as how this will impact our schools. Can our elementary, middle and high schools take on more capacity? How can they say “…single-family residential use “is economically unfeasible” but 125 townhomes, 3,000 capacity building and parking deck along with more restaurant space is feasible? I don’t think I like this.
Not crazy about a huge parking deck. I’m concerned about the traffic as well as how this will impact our schools. Can our elementary, middle and high schools take on more capacity? How can say “…single-family residential use “is economically unfeasible” but 125 townhomes, 3,000 capacity building and parking deck along with more restaurant space is feasible? I don’t think I like this.
A megachurch and a parking deck? Sounds like the eye sore that Buckhead would love.
Yikes! I foresee huge traffic issues in this area if this is approved. I don’t think Shalloword and JF can take a mega-church and townhomes.