Planning commission denies 9.96-acre light-industrial rezoning after residents cite land-use and traffic concerns

The Cherokee County Planning Commission on Oct. 7 recommended denial of a rezoning request to change 9.96 acres from agricultural (AG) to Light Industrial (LI) for a proposed office/warehouse development, citing inconsistency with the county land‑use plan and access and traffic concerns.

The motion to deny was made by Commissioner Van Zandt and seconded by Commissioner Belotte; the commission voted unanimously to deny the application. The denial halted consideration of an associated variance to allow an access easement to encroach into a required 50-foot buffer.

The applicant, represented by Mike Bray, described the property as contiguous to existing light industrial parcels and told commissioners the area had a history of LI zoning and operations. Bray said the proposal would support small contractors and generate tax revenue; he noted one existing LI property in the area pays roughly $34,000 in taxes annually. Bray also argued the parcel was not practical for agriculture.

Residents who spoke in opposition said the property falls in the county’s country estates character area and that expanding LI zoning would harm neighborhood character, cause more traffic on Hogan Pond Lane and could set a precedent for further industrial expansion. Linda Florey, a Dawson Creek resident, told commissioners, "This is not what is in our land use plan," and urged denial. Other neighbors cited nighttime lighting and backup-beeper noise from existing businesses, and concerns that LI expansion could eventually reach tens of additional acres.

Staff noted the property’s character-area designation (country estates), the county’s ordinance requirement that LI accesses be on a major arterial or state highway (Hogan Pond Lane is a local street), and stormwater and septic requirements. The applicant’s site plan showed three proposed buildings (two around 10,000 square feet and one around 29,900 square feet), combined parking of about 156 spaces, and proposed building heights of roughly 20 feet. Staff also reported historical rezoning records that show at least portions of the broader area were rezoned to LI in 1989 and 1998, while a small portion of LI in the map lacked a clear recorded resolution in readily available records.

Why it matters: Commissioners cited the county land‑use plan and the character-area guidance in concluding the proposed LI use is not consistent with the country estates designation and expressed concern about traffic on Hogan Pond Lane and the speculative nature of tenants for the proposed buildings.

Next steps: With the commission’s recommendation to deny, the applicant may pursue Board of Commissioners consideration or revise the proposal. Because the commission denied the rezoning, the related variance was not taken up for separate approval.