Coweta commissioners deny Racetrack rezoning for convenience store and truck fueling center, 3–2

The Coweta County Board of Commissioners on May 20 voted 3–2 to deny a rezoning request from Racetrack Incorporated that would have converted about 6.498 acres at the north‑northeast corner of South Highway 29 and April Court from Rural Conservation (RC) to Light Industrial (LM) to allow a convenience store with gasoline sales, eight diesel pumps and a tractor‑trailer fueling area.

The vote followed a public hearing and a lengthy exchange in which county staff, the applicant and residents weighed traffic and safety concerns against projected traffic improvements and economic benefits. Zoning manager Miss Eschman summarized the application, the site conditions and the 21 staff‑recommended conditions tied to roadway, signal and stormwater work. She told the board the site lies in the interstate gateway and complete community overlay areas of the county’s comprehensive plan, which discourages auto‑oriented uses such as gas stations.

The applicant’s attorney, Laura Benz of Benz Law, said Racetrack will build the traffic improvements and accept conditions that include road widening, turn lanes, signal coordination with the Georgia Department of Transportation and FAA approvals. "This proposal is not going to cause any additional density or load on public facilities as proposed," Benz said, adding that Racetrack would immediately install traffic improvements that were envisioned under a 2017 Bridgeport development agreement.

Kirk Ellis, Racetrack’s engineering project manager, said the company operates about 800 locations and planned the site as a flagship store. "We are a 90‑year‑old company with over 800 locations," Ellis said, asking the board to approve the request and permit the company to implement the traffic mitigation measures it proposed.

Opposition came from commissioners and members of the public who pressed for strict adherence to the county’s comprehensive plan and expressed safety concerns at the nearby intersection. Commissioner Smith, who spoke against the request during the hearing, said the comprehensive plan process aimed to limit precisely this kind of auto‑oriented development in gateway areas and urged caution. Another commissioner questioned whether FAA documentation and certain traffic approvals had been submitted with the application; staff said some documentation was not in the application packet and that the applicant later filed FAA correspondence.

Commissioners debated whether to table the matter to seek additional coordination with the airport authority and GDOT, or to approve with the staff conditions. Ultimately the board voted to deny the rezoning request, 3 in favor of denial and 2 opposed, with no amendment to approve on the floor. The motion to deny was made and seconded from the dais and carried 3–2.

Next steps: the denial means the property remains zoned RC. Staff noted the applicant may still pursue other pathways consistent with existing zoning or resubmit with additional supporting documentation and stricter conditions; no further action was announced at the meeting.