Commissioners approve rezoning of Manley Road parcel to C‑1 with five conditions after residents object

The Spalding County Board of Commissioners voted 3‑1 on July 24 to rezone about 36.28 acres along Manley Road from AR‑1 (Agricultural‑Residential) to C‑1 (Highway Commercial), clearing the way for a multi‑lot commercial subdivision while attaching five conditions intended to limit impacts on adjacent neighborhoods.

The measure won approval after residents from Dunwoody Circle and other nearby streets urged commissioners to require stormwater controls, wide buffers and a sewer connection before commercial development proceeds. “We’re really concerned about this development because of the water drainage already on Dunwoody Circle,” Hobby Davenport said during the public hearing, citing existing septic and drainage problems.

The Board’s five conditions — required before future development approvals — were recorded as: (1) design storm drainage so that no stormwater is directed westward toward existing homes, (2) a 100‑foot planted buffer along the property’s western edge, (3) a 20‑foot privacy fence on that same western edge, (4) any development must connect to municipal or county sewer (whichever becomes available) rather than rely on septic, and (5) a finalized traffic study before any plat approval or building permits. The Board directed staff to incorporate those conditions into the rezoning ordinance and future development reviews.

County staff described the vote as a step to resolve split zoning on the tract; the front portion of the property was partly C‑1 and partly AR‑1. Community Development Director David Allen said the applicant sought a short‑term step of making the entire parcel C‑1 to allow coordinated site planning, with any site plan returning to the Board for final approval. Allen told the Board the site plan was not finalized at the time of the rezoning vote.

Residents who spoke said their primary concerns were increased runoff and flooding, lack of sewer service on the north side of Griffin, traffic and safety at the nearby intersection of Manley Road and Highway 1941, and potential future intensification of uses on the remaining acreage. Scott Morris, who said he has lived on Dunwoody Circle for 34 years, said the rezoning would harm the “character of our neighborhood” and lower property values. Some speakers asked that the rezoning include legally binding limits on future subdivision density.

Commissioners debated whether to require immediate sewer construction (none currently exists for the site), with one commissioner noting there was no available funding now to extend sewer service. The Board’s conditions require connection to sewer when service is available but do not fund construction.

Outcome and next steps: The rezoning ordinance passed 3‑1; a recorded tally was three in favor and one opposed. The unanimous Planning Commission recommended approval conditioned on similar items but staff and several commissioners emphasized the need to finalize and document the drainage and traffic commitments before site‑plan approval. The applicant will return with final engineering, a traffic study and site plans for additional county review and permits.

Why it matters: The vote resolves a split zoning question on a significant tract on Griffin’s north side and sets substantive, enforceable requirements developers must meet before building. The sewer and drainage conditions in particular respond to residents’ claims of existing septic and runoff problems in the neighborhood.

What remains unsettled: The Board required future site plans and studies but did not direct county funding for sewer. Neighbors and commissioners noted that, if municipal sewer does not become available, the conditions could impede or delay commercial construction.

Speakers quoted or cited in this article appeared during the public hearing and staff presentation for application 2504Z (Manley Road Investment Group LLC).