Planning commission splits on multiple rezonings; recommends denial for McElroy convenience store, advances data-center plan

The Spalding County Planning Commission on Tuesday took a string of votes on rezoning and special-exception requests, recommending denial of a proposed convenience store and fuel site at Williamson Road and Ropers Attila Road, approving a separate rezoning on Manley Road while postponing site-plan approval, and forwarding a large data-center proposal with conditions. Several other applications were approved with staff stipulations or tabled to a later meeting.

The most contentious agenda item was a 12.5-acre rezoning request from McElroy Reynolds LLC to allow a 10,000-square-foot convenience store with gasoline and diesel sales and future retail/office space. Dozens of nearby residents packed the hearing to oppose the project, citing traffic and safety concerns on two-lane roads, loss of rural character, and possible effects on property values. After more than an hour of public comment and discussion, the commission voted to recommend denial to the Board of Commissioners.

The commission’s staff report and several commissioners said the application conflicted with the county’s rural character and community-crossroads standards. Numerous speakers said the intersection is still rural and not suitable for the scale proposed. “We wanted a place with land, a farmhouse where we could raise our children,” said Chase Alexanian, a nearby resident, describing why his family moved to the area. A motion to deny the petition passed and the commission forwarded its recommendation of denial to the July 24 Board of Commissioners meeting.

Separately, the commission approved a rezoning request for a 36.28-acre tract on Manley Road submitted by Manley Road Investment Group LLC to change split zoning to C-1 (Highway Commercial). The applicant’s rezoning was approved as a zoning-only action; the commission explicitly declined to approve the site plan, leaving traffic, lot-subdivision and access details for later review. Hobie (Hobie) Davenport, a resident who spoke at the public…