Appeals board recommends building-materials variance for Odyssey Charter School expansion; rezoning to be heard July 15

The Coweta County Board of Zoning Appeals on June 26 recommended that the Board of Commissioners grant a variance to allow Odyssey Charter School to use an existing building constructed to industrial standards as part of an expansion into an adjacent parcel in the Shenandoah Industrial Park. The rezoning petition (rezone 25-03) to change the subject parcel from M Industrial to OI Office/Institutional is scheduled for a July 15 hearing before the Board of Commissioners.

Miss Blackwell, presenting the petition, told the board that the parcel is about 5.76 acres and that because the school is asking to rezone to OI, the stricter building-material standards for that district would normally apply. Staff noted that the building already exists and is constructed of stone, glass and metal, and recommended the board consider hardship and proximity to nearby property owners when evaluating the variance under Article 28 of the Coweta County Zoning and Development Ordinance. Staff recommended that any new construction meet OI Office Institutional standards.

Scott Hooper, superintendent of the charter school, told the board Odyssey is one of the state’s earlier charter schools, has outgrown its facilities and needs additional space to separate middle school programming and expand curricular opportunities. Staff read a petition into the record from the school with 64 signatures in support; teachers and staff also testified about overcrowding and benefits of a separate middle-school building.

Board members said bringing the existing building up to full OI standards could be impractical or an undue hardship for a public school and moved to recommend approval of the variance with the single staff condition that future construction meet OI standards. The board voted to recommend the variance; the matter will be before the Board of Commissioners on July 15 for final action.