Gordon County commissioners deny two Resaca rezoning requests after residents raise traffic, health and preservation concerns

The Gordon County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to deny two rezoning applications for parcels on Highway 41 North in Resaca, rejecting proposals to change the properties from agricultural (A-1) to light industrial (I-1).

The motion to deny RZ2025-02 (parcel 039-031, 3674 Highway 41 North) and RZ2025-03 (parcel 039-028, within the Resaca Overlay District) passed after hours of applicant presentations and public comment. Commissioner Stewart moved to deny the applications; the roll-call vote recorded Stewart yes, Abernathy no, Sutherland yes, Buster Cunningham no and Jerry Owens yes.

Why it mattered: residents and preservation advocates argued that a proposed logistics/warehouse use would increase heavy-truck traffic on Highway 41, create safety hazards for school buses and local roads, harm air quality near homes and historic resources, and reduce property values. The applicants countered that they would donate roughly 30 acres of a 59-acre tract to a local preservation group and that development costs for road and utility work would be borne by the developer.

Applicant proposal and donation David Branch, representing Artisan Land Companies, told commissioners his firm seeks to pair economic development with historic preservation and introduced a land-donation plan. "We're gonna propose a significant land donation," Branch said, framing the offer as an attempt to find "common ground." Terry Brownlow, presenting maps and numbers for the applicants, described the donation as "30 acres more or less" and said, "This would represent roughly a $250,000 donation" based on the contract price. Brownlow also cited a projected total development cost of about $40,000,000 and estimated the project could create "3 to 400 new jobs." The applicants said donated acreage would be preserved and that limited access or pedestrian access could be provided for historic interpretation.

Public opposition and preservation concerns Multiple nearby property owners, including Sarah Reed, said rezoning a parcel that touches a residence would create safety and noise problems. "Safety is definitely one of our biggest concerns," Reed said, noting school buses and children on Highway 41. Shauna Dooley, who said she had reviewed traffic-generation guidance and a scientific study, warned of increased diesel emissions and health risks: "This scientific evidence shows that this project, if approved, would negatively affect the health and welfare of the adjacent neighbors and the residents of Resaca." Residents and preservation advocates pressed for a comprehensive archaeological survey before any approval, and the Georgia Battlefield Association submitted a National Park Service/American Battlefield Trust map and asked it be entered into the record.

Developer response and record items Applicant representatives and other supporters said the donation shows a commitment to preservation and that infrastructure expansions (road widening, sewer, power) are developer costs, not county obligations. Commissioners accepted seven submitted items into the record, including the battlefield map and the study cited by residents; staff explained that some historical overlay materials were reconstructed in GIS from parcel lists after the original paper map could not be located.

Votes at a glance - RZ2025-02 & RZ2025-03 (Highway 41 North, Resaca): Motion to deny passed (Yes: Stewart, Sutherland, Jerry Owens; No: Abernathy, Buster Cunningham). Outcome: denied.

Other business - The board approved, by voice vote, a request from the Gordon County Sheriff's Office to award a service weapon to retired deputy Kevin Rickett and declare it surplus. - The board approved additional FY '25 LMEC local road administration funds requested by Public Works; the transcript contains an unclear dollar string and the precise amount as read in the record is not specified in this article. - The board approved a Peoples Quigley work order for a Copper Mountain Road culvert upgrade for $21,800 and a related FY '25 budget amendment.

What’s next The first reading of proposed amendments to the county personnel code (Article 10, sections 30 and 34) was announced and will return for formal consideration at a future meeting. The denial of the two rezoning requests resolves the current applications but does not preclude future filings from property owners or developers.

(Reporting based solely on the meeting transcript and items entered into the meeting record.)