Coweta commissioners agree to 180-day postponement in Pope Farm annexation arbitration

The Coweta County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 9 to enter an intergovernmental agreement with the city to postpone arbitration proceedings for up to 180 days in an annexation dispute tied to petition AN04-24 (Pope Farm).

County staff told the board the petition, filed by PR Land Investments LLC, proposes annexing roughly 267 acres for a master-planned residential community of 669 single-family detached homes, related amenities, five existing homes, and a 30,000-square-foot industrial building. Staff said the proposal qualifies as a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) with DCA application number 4316 (Pope Farm).

Under the Georgia statute cited to the board (OCGA 36-36-1.15(a)(1)(A)), the city and county may mutually postpone arbitration to negotiate a settlement; earlier this week the city voted to approve the same postponement. County staff said the 180-day pause allows time for DRI methodology, traffic study coordination with the regional transportation authority, a public comment period, and issuance of the DRI notice of decision. If no settlement is reached after the postponement, arbitration would resume under the statute's timelines.

The board approved the mutual postponement 5-0. Staff said they have already contacted the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and that the board's action preserves the county's statutory right to proceed to arbitration if negotiations do not resolve the dispute.

The postponement does not decide the underlying annexation or rezoning; it delays the arbitration timetable to allow state DRI review and intergovernmental negotiation.