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Board reopens hearing and postpones decision on Osborne Enterprises zoning-condition changes after strong neighborhood turnout
Summary
After a large public turnout expressing concerns about truck traffic, Bishop Road access and buffers, the board reopened the hearing, heard rebuttal, then voted to postpone action on a request to remove or modify zoning conditions for Osborne Enterprises to the first meeting in October.
The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 16 reopened a public hearing and later postponed action until the board—s first October meeting on a request by Osborne Enterprises to remove or modify earlier zoning conditions attached to a light-industrial rezoning approved in 2007.
The property (a 13.24-acre portion of a formerly larger 98-acre rezoning) was subject to multiple conditions when rezoned in 2007; the applicant sought removal of several conditions, including limits on access to Bishop Road, a 50-foot undisturbed buffer along Bishop Road and architectural and screening requirements for industrial buildings on the site. Planning staff reviewed the original conditions and compared them to current zoning ordinance standards and said some prior conditions mirrored existing ordinance requirements while others were more restrictive.
The board—s public hearing drew a lengthy series of residents who live along Bishop Road and nearby streets; speakers described Bishop Road as a narrow, residential road that has seen increased heavy-vehicle traffic in recent months, raised safety concerns for pedestrians and school buses, and asked the board to preserve buffers and limit truck access. Several residents urged retaining the 50-foot buffer and restricting truck access and overnight truck parking. The applicant, Charles Osborne, said he owns the property and expressed willingness to work with the county on design details and said he expects most traffic to use new Technology Ridge Parkway and the Airport Road spur once they are constructed.
Legal counsel and staff advised the board that under zoning procedure the applicant must be given an opportunity to rebut comment, so the board reopened the hearing to allow brief applicant rebuttal. After the applicant addressed concerns and agreed to cooperate on routing and loading, the board voted to postpone a final decision until the county—s next meeting in October to allow additional coordination with the developer, planning staff and neighbors and to give staff time to present more detailed road and sidewalk plans (Commissioner Carter moved to postpone; Commissioner Ragsdale seconded; the motion carried unanimously).
Why it matters: The request would remove conditions tied to a 2007 rezoning; neighbors asked the county to maintain buffers and prevent truck traffic onto a narrow residential road. The decision to delay gives staff and the applicant more time to refine plans and address public-safety and traffic routing concerns.
