Residents urge Rockdale commissioners to block commercial rezoning at Oglesby Bridge intersection

Rockdale County commissioners heard a contentious public hearing June 26 on a request to rezone 10 acres at 1929 Southwest Oglesby Bridge Road from AR (agricultural‑residential) to C‑1 (local commercial) to allow neighborhood commercial uses.

Laura Parker, deputy director of planning and development, told the board the application from Steven Goodsell has been before county panels multiple times. Staff recommended approval with conditions — including a required traffic impact study coordinated with GDOT on Georgia Highway 212/Oglesby Bridge Road, a five‑foot sidewalk and four‑foot landscaped strip along both road rights‑of‑way, underground utilities, stormwater detention screening, and an explicit list of prohibited uses that includes vape stores, liquor stores, small “dollar‑type” stores and beauty supply stores.

The applicant’s representative said the submission tracks the county’s neighborhood commercial future‑land‑use designation and that the developer had added prohibitions on some uses to respond to neighbor concerns. The representative also raised a constitutional objection on behalf of the landowner (referred to in the record as “Mr. C”), saying the current zoning limits the owner’s fair use of the property and reserving the right to continue appeals if conditions go beyond staff recommendations.

Neighbors who live near the intersection urged the board to deny the rezoning or to explicitly exclude gas stations. James Corbett, who lives at 1617 Clermont Lane across Highway‑212, said the community does not oppose all commercial uses but is strongly opposed to a gas station at the corner, adding that many nearby storefronts have failed and that at least a dozen gas stations exist within roughly four miles. Other residents cited environmental concerns, a rural character they wish to preserve, and skepticism about out‑of‑county developers.

In response, the applicant said outreach had been conducted, that some community suggestions were incorporated, and that retailers typically will not commit before zoning is set. The applicant confirmed the site lacks public wastewater and would rely on septic systems unless sufficient density or funding to extend sewer is achieved; earlier plans that included higher density existed to make sewer extension feasible.

No final decision on the rezoning was recorded in the transcript. Planning staff noted earlier that decisions from public hearings are rendered at the next regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners meeting, and the hearing record shows the board moved to subsequent agenda items after rebuttal and public comments.

What’s next: The board will consider the rezoning request at its subsequent decision meeting per county procedure. Residents and the applicant indicated continued engagement: the applicant noted outreach meetings and neighbors urged the board to keep restrictions that would prevent undesirable commercial uses.