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Young resident urges Cobb County to loosen zoning rules to address housing shortage
Summary
A recent high‑school graduate told commissioners the county faces a long‑term housing shortage and urged changes to lot sizes, setbacks and zoning to allow smaller homes, ADUs, multiplexes and mixed‑use development near transit.
A district resident recently graduated from Walton High School told the Board of Commissioners on June 10 that Cobb County faces a growing housing shortage and urged local officials to change zoning rules to increase housing choice.
Carter Ray said younger residents fear they will never be able to buy homes in the county and cited an Atlanta Regional Commission projection that Cobb could be short more than 38,000 homes by 2050 at the current rate of development. “The solution that we need and that younger generations ask for is more housing choice,” Ray said.
Ray urged the county to consider incremental zoning changes such as reducing minimum lot sizes and home square footage, allowing accessory dwelling units where only single‑family detached housing is allowed, permitting attached single‑family or multiplex structures, and encouraging mixed‑use development near public transit and high‑job‑growth areas. He also referred to the county’s 2023–2028 strategic plan, which lists adequate quantity and availability of housing types and increased attainable housing as key success indicators.
Ray asked commissioners to engage with younger constituents to design policies that expand attainable housing options. No board action was taken; Ray’s comments were part of the public‑comment portion of the meeting.
