Votes at a glance: Mableton council approves stadium permit and multiple planning, environment and service-delivery measures

The City of Mableton council took multiple formal actions at its May 28 meeting, approving a special land use permit for a proposed Swarm Football Club stadium and adopting a set of planning and environment ordinances and a special service district. Key votes and actions are listed below. For each item the meeting record shows the motion, relevant staff or applicant presentation and the council’s final outcome.

Special Land Use Permit — 25‑001 (Swarm Football Club LLC) The council approved Special Land Use Permit 25-001 to redevelop existing soccer fields at 3598 Marathon Circle into a 3,500-seat stadium, accepting planning commission and staff recommendations and conditions. The council set hours of operation at Monday–Sunday 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Vote: 7‑0 in favor.

Ordinance — Outdoor lighting standards (night sky) (Chapter 10, Article 4) Council adopted a second-reading ordinance creating outdoor lighting standards intended to reduce nighttime light pollution and conserve energy. Staff and the city attorney said the draft is similar to ordinances in nearby jurisdictions and that there were no substantive changes since the first reading. Vote: unanimous (ayes declared; no recorded opposition).

Ordinance — Planning and zoning (Chapter 10, Article 3) update Council adopted updates to the zoning ordinance related to review and decision-making bodies, including a planning-commission timing provision that limits certain actions to 40 days. Staff said the change aligns procedures and clarifies composition and notification requirements. Vote: unanimous.

Cobb County comprehensive plan — submission for regional review The council opened the required public hearing and authorized staff to submit Cobb County’s comprehensive plan to the Atlanta Regional Commission for review. Staff said this interim step will help Mableton qualify as a local government for certain state-administered grants; the city’s own comprehensive plan remains in development and is anticipated in early 2026. Action: staff to submit the county plan for DCA/ARC review (no final adoption vote at this meeting).

Agreement authorization — Destination marketing services (Cobb Travel & Tourism) The council authorized the mayor to finalize and execute a destination marketing services agreement with Cobb Travel & Tourism, delegating final execution to the mayor and city attorney. Staff and the city attorney asked for authority to finalize technical items before signature; timeline requested was immediate execution this week if possible. Vote: unanimous.

Ordinance — Animal control (Chapter 14) Council adopted an animal-control ordinance consistent with provisions the county will implement under the existing services arrangement; enforcement will be through county animal services per the service-delivery approach. Vote: unanimous.

Ordinance — Environment and natural resources (Chapter 11) and Tree Preservation & Beautification (new Article 2) Council approved updates to Chapter 11 and created a tree preservation and beautification article that establishes a tree fund seeded at $2 per capita (estimated $160,000) for planting, maintenance and city beautification projects. The ordinance adopts Cobb County tree preservation/replacement standards for plan review. Vote: unanimous.

Resolution — 6 Flags special service district Council adopted a resolution creating a special service district that continues area-specific services formerly managed by the county; the city attorney’s revised draft removed an explicit mill rate from the resolution pending the city’s separate required public hearings to set any millage. The resolution creates a special fund and lists permitted district activities and an implementation strategy. Vote: unanimous.

Consent agenda and minutes Council approved the consent agenda, including prior meeting minutes, as presented.

Next steps and follow-up Several actions require staff follow-up: full hydrology/stormwater permitting and DOT coordination for the stadium permit; submission and DCA/ARC review of the comprehensive plan; establishment and administration details for the tree and special service district funds; and execution of the marketing services agreement pending final mayoral signature.

A summary of formal actions with citations and meeting timestamps appears in the city clerk’s official record.