Developer seeks C-1 rezoning on Oglesby Bridge Road; neighbors oppose potential gas station

At a June 26 Rockdale County zoning public hearing, planning staff presented a request to rezone 10 acres of a 44.76-acre parcel at 1929 Southwest Oglesby Bridge Road from AR (agricultural residential) to C-1 (local commercial). The applicant, identified in staff remarks as Steven Goodsell, said the commercial portion is intended as a neighborhood commercial node compatible with adjacent C-1 uses and that staff and the planning commission recommended approval with conditions.

Laura Parker, deputy director of planning and development, told the board staff had recommended approval with conditions including a traffic-impact study coordinated with GDOT on Georgia Highway 212, environmental-health approval prior to a land-disturbance permit, construction of five-foot sidewalks with a minimum four-foot landscaped buffer, underground utilities, screening for stormwater detention ponds, and a list of prohibited uses that would exclude vape shops, liquor stores and certain small discount-box retailers.

In public comment, five residents spoke against the rezoning. James Corbett, a neighbor, asked the board to "deny this rezoning from AR to commercial without the exclusion of a gas station," saying the intersection already has many underperforming commercial spaces and that a gas station would invite ancillary businesses residents disfavor. Charlotte Shallow said she has lived in Rockdale County since 1984 and opposed additional gas stations and “concrete asphalt” development in the rural area. Sheree Faust said the area is rural with farm lots and does not need another gas station.

The applicant replied that the team had solicited neighborhood input and was willing to accept restrictions on undesirable uses. The applicant also described technical constraints: there is no public wastewater at the site so commercial development would rely on septic unless sewer extension funding and density made a sewer extension feasible. The applicant said prior proposals had asked for higher residential density (240 units) that could have funded sewer, but current residential components had been reduced to approximately 92 units.

No formal decision was made at the hearing; per the public-hearing rules read into the record, the board may take final action at the next regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners meeting. The staff presentation and public comments left two clear areas for follow-up: whether the board will impose explicit use exclusions (for example, banning a gas station) and whether a viable sewer extension plan or septic approach will be required as a condition.