Planning Commission scuttles NE Cobb RaceTrac proposal Archives

The Cobb Planning Commission this week recommended approval of rezoning the former site of an historic home in Northeast Cobb for a variety of commercial uses.

But they didn’t include the use the applicant, RaceTrac Inc., had in mind.

After a very long discussion and by a 4-1 vote, the board recommended to allow Neighborhood Retail Commercial (NRC) zoning on Bells Ferry Road at Barrett Parkway where the McAfee House once stood.

That’s a home built in the 1840s that served as headquarters for a Union general during the Civil War, and was relocated earlier this year to Cherokee County after an effort to save it by Cobb Landmarks.

But the planning commission vote excludes fuel sales as one of the permitted businesses that could go on the two-acre site across from Bells Ferry Elementary School, along with no alcohol, vaping and tobacco sales, car washes, automotive uses or any type of drive-through business.

Nearby citizens turned out to oppose RaceTrac’s plans, citing safety, environmental and traffic congestion issues, among other things.

The decision rebuffed a recommendation for by Planning Commission member David Anderson, who represents the area in question, District 2.

His motion would have prohibited fuel sales and drive-through businesses, and would have required light automotive uses to come back to the county with a noise mitigation plan.

The board’s vote also went against a recommendation for approval by the Cobb Zoning Staff (analysis here).

After being satisfied with the results of a traffic analysis and an explanation from Cobb DOT, Anderson made a motion to recommend what RaceTrace was asking for—NRC designation for 24/7 gas sales and a convenience store.

But his motion died because it didn’t get a second, and another motion by Planning Commission member Fred Beloin of North Cobb added the stipulations that were approved. Under the motion that passed, small businesses and retail and some office uses would be allowed.

Anderson was the only vote against Beloin’s substitute motion. The Cobb Board of Commissioners will decide the matter at its Oct. 21 zoning hearing.

RaceTrac’s request was delayed a month after a previous Planning Commission hearing generated plenty of community opposition.

Beloin said the issue of methane gas emissions near the school—or at least the lack of definitive information about the threat it may cause—made it “impossible for me to support this request.”

He also said that school traffic issues that would arise both in the morning and afternoon “are profound. This would be the opposite of an old Beatles song where you take a sad song and make it better. This would be take a bad road and make it far, far worse.”

The land, owned by Medford Family LP, was proposed for a car wash in 2023 before applicant pulled out due to other business issues.

Some opponents wished the property, located next door to a day care center and near a retail center, would not become commercialized.

But Anderson’s issue was what he said was a lack of clarity in the county code about how close gas stations could be located next to day care centers.

“I see this site as having a lot of conflicts in terms of uses,” he said.

Anderson, an East Cobb resident initially appointed by former Commissioner Jerica Richardson, was reappointed earlier this year by Commissioner Erick Allen, whose District 2 includes the Medford property.

When the application was first filed, the land was in District 3, represented by Commissioner JoAnn Birrell.