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Applicant seeks rezoning at Highway 155 SW to add vehicle emissions inspection station
Summary
Staff recommended approval of a rezoning and future land-use amendment to let an existing gas station at 2992 Highway 155 SW add a vehicle emissions inspection station. The county would limit the facility to emissions testing and require certification, waste controls and indoor storage; no final Board vote was recorded in the transcript.
Ryan Sadler, Rockdale County planner, presented case REZ2025-10 / FLUM2025-04 asking to rezone about 1.46 acres at 2992 Highway 155 SW from C-1 (local commercial) to C-2 (general commercial) and to amend the future land use map from low-density agriculture/residential to commercial so an on-site vehicle emissions inspection station can operate alongside an existing gas station and convenience store.
Staff recommended approval with conditions that would limit the operation to vehicle emissions testing only, require the facility to obtain state emissions testing certification and business licenses before opening, mandate compliance with EPD and EPA disposal rules for testing waste, keep testing-related materials stored indoors, and prevent additional automotive repair or added fuel pumps without further approvals. Staff also noted that wastewater is not available on-site and that any changes affecting access on Highway 155 would require a formal letter from the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Applicant Kujinder Singh told the board he has operated the gas station since 2017 and sought the rezoning to provide a local emissions-testing option; staff said the nearest comparable inspection station is about 5.5 miles away. The applicant and his representative, Rohandeep Seiko, described possible site layouts and said they could shift the testing bay to avoid conflicts with pump traffic; Seiko noted similar nearby stations have not produced long street queues in his experience.
Commissioners asked about appearance, parking, and potential spillover into the adjacent roundabout. Sadler replied that the proposed testing structure would have garage doors that close and that the proposed site plan can be adjusted to improve circulation; the applicant agreed to revise the layout to avoid blocking circulation and to provide updated photos for planning staff and commissioners.
No final Board decision on the rezoning appears in the transcript. The staff recommendation, the applicant’s presentation, and commissioner concerns about traffic and aesthetics were recorded; staff indicated conditions and subsequent submittals will be required before any additional automotive uses or expansions are permitted.
The county planner also noted prior administrative actions on the parcel: a variance reduced a required buffer from 50 feet to 25 feet, and a combination plat consolidated two lots into a single parcel. The staff presentation included a building size figure reported as 63,598 square feet and a stated count of 24 parking spaces; those figures were provided by staff during the presentation.
