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Walton County approves rezoning for convenience store, fueling station and driving range with traffic and buffer conditions
Summary
After residents raised safety concerns, the Walton County Commission approved rezoning 11.5 acres along Highway 11 for a convenience store with eight fuel pumps, retail and a public driving range, imposing conditions on traffic mitigation, stream-buffer encroachment and allowable tenants. (Vote 5–1.)
Walton County commissioners on May 5 approved a rezoning that will allow a convenience store with fuel sales, retail space, a drive-through restaurant and a public driving range on 11.5 acres along Georgia Highway 11, despite sustained concerns from nearby residents about traffic and safety.
The application by Reed Creek Food Mart LLC — owner James William Burson II — sought to rezone property from A1/A2/R1 to B1 and requested a variance to encroach into a 75-foot stream buffer for an internal driveway. Marissa of LJA Engineering described the project as a mixed retail development with a convenience store at the northwest portion of the site, a 6,000-square-foot retail area and a 2,000-square-foot quick-service restaurant on the southern portion, and a public driving range to the east. Marissa said the proposal includes eight fueling pumps and an internal driveway that would be the only impervious surface encroaching on the 75-foot buffer; buildings would not be placed in the buffer.
Opponents focused on traffic safety at the Mountain Creek Church Road intersection. "This intersection has been a problem since then. It is an accident waiting to happen," said John Hall, a long-term resident, summarizing his reading of the project's traffic study, which projected unacceptable future levels of service and significant delays on left-turn movements without mitigation. Another resident (who identified only by address) said similar nearby development proposals had failed and left blighted sites.
Applicant traffic consultant Terry Boomer of LJA Engineering told the commission the team will work with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) on mitigation measures, including a left-turn lane from Mountain Creek Church Road onto Highway 11 and deceleration lanes at site entrances. "As much as we can do fiscally and with the right of way in our control, we're going to do," Boomer said, adding that left-turn and deceleration lanes should reduce rear-end collisions and improve turning gaps.
During deliberations commissioners approved the rezoning with multiple conditions: full compliance with applicable DOT approvals and the planning studies submitted; cooperation with county staff and GDOT on intersection and access improvements where feasible; installation of proper protective netting for the driving range; restrictions on certain retail tenants (no smoke shops, tattoo parlors, vape shops, adult novelty stores or hookah lounges, to apply in perpetuity); and building-material requirements consistent with the submittal (no stucco). The motion passed 5–1; Commissioner Lee Bradford was recorded as opposed.
The applicant team and county staff said the final design and any required right-of-way work will be handled through the land-disturbance permitting and GDOT review processes. The commission record shows the planning commission had recommended approval including the requested stream-buffer variance. The county will monitor permit-level mitigation commitments and any GDOT-required improvements.
Action details: motion to approve rezoning Z2026-0054 with the conditions listed above; vote 5 yes, 1 no (Lee Bradford). The public hearing record included applicant exhibits, a traffic study, a stream/wetland study and renderings of the proposed development. The commission closed the public hearing and approved the rezoning during the May 5 meeting.
