Cobb County Planning Commission approves consent items, recommends denials for two land‑use permits and holds stadium request

Cobb County Planning Commission on Feb. 4, 2025 approved a consent agenda of routine rezoning and land‑use permit renewals, recommended denial of two contested temporary land‑use permits and recommended denial of a rezoning where the applicant failed to appear. The commission also voted to hold (continue) a special‑land‑use permit request for a proposed 3,500‑seat soccer stadium in the Marathon Circle/East‑West Connector area to allow further review by Cobb DOT, stormwater staff and local stakeholders.

The meeting began under Vice Chairman Michael Hughes and zoning division manager John Peterson outlined hearing procedures. Several printed agenda items were withdrawn or continued before the hearing began; the remaining consent cases were taken together and approved with added stipulations by a 3‑0 vote. Later, the commission voted 4‑0 to recommend denial of the contested LUP applications for a pop‑up meat market (LUP4) and for multiple business vehicles at a residence (LUP6). The commission recommended denial of rezoning case Z37Of2024 after the applicant did not appear (4‑0). The special‑land‑use permit for Swarm Football Club (SLUP3) was continued to allow DOT and stormwater review; the applicant said continued review would otherwise require resubmittal to the City of Mableton.

Votes at a glance - Consent agenda (multiple rezoning cases and land‑use permit renewals, including Z1, Z3, Z4 and LUP1, LUP2, LUP3, LUP5, LUP7): Approved as amended (motion to approve consent agenda as amended; second: Commissioner Lindstrom; outcome: approved; tally reported 3 yes, 0 no). Additional stipulations added on the record for Z1 (no amplified sound within 100 feet of New Rutledge Road; 40‑foot landscape buffer to be maintained) and Z3 (sidewalk fee‑in‑lieu language adjusted; district commissioner to approve final plans). - LUP4 (Hero Farms Cooperative: temporary land‑use permit for a neighborhood pop‑up meat market at Chimney Springs common area): Motion to recommend denial (mover: Commissioner Beloyne; second: Commissioner Hughes); outcome: recommended denial; tally 4 yes, 0 no. Staff recommendation: not specified in transcript as approval; ECCA and multiple residents opposed. Applicant Thomas Fernandez testified in support. - LUP6 (Laki Guledge Bridal: temporary permit to allow more than one business vehicle at a residence): Motion to recommend denial (mover: Commissioner Hughes; second: Commissioner Lynchman); outcome: recommended denial; tally 4 yes, 0 no. Staff recommended denial; applicant testified she uses dealer‑tagged vehicles for active business but conducts sales off‑site. - Z37Of2024 (Bosco… applicant absent): Motion to recommend denial for failure to provide required information and applicant nonappearance (mover: Commissioner Hughes); second Commissioner Malone; outcome: recommended denial; tally 4 yes, 0 no. - SLUP3 (Swarm Football Club LLC: special land‑use permit for a soccer stadium proposed on Marathon property): Motion to hold/continue to allow additional DOT, stormwater and community review (mover: Commissioner Beloyne; second: Commissioner Lindstrom); outcome: held/continued (will be resubmitted to the City of Mableton if withdrawn). Staff recommended approval with conditions pending final plans; DOT indicated additional revisions to the traffic study were outstanding as of the updated submission received the prior week.

What the votes mean - Consent approvals: Routine rezoning and renewals proceed to the Board of Commissioners as planned; some consent items carried added stipulations recorded in the meeting. - Denials: For LUP4 and LUP6 the planning commission recommended denial back to county decision‑makers (the record cites neighborhood precedent concerns, parking/traffic and impacts on residential character). The commission discussed precedent implications for other subdivisions. - SLUP3 continued: Commissioners and DOT said additional time was needed to review a late‑filed stipulation letter and revised traffic study; continuing the case preserves the commission’s and DOT’s ability to require changes and permits the local community time to review the revised materials.

Meeting context and next steps The commission recorded formal recommendations (approvals, denials, holds) that will be reflected in staff reports to the Board of Commissioners or carried forward to the City of Mableton where jurisdiction shifts. Several speakers asked for more time or clearer outreach; DOT and stormwater staff signaled outstanding review comments on the stadium traffic and stormwater analyses.

Ending: The commission completed minutes and adjourned after routine business.