Acworth to consider annexing 3872 Nance Road for school expansion; resident raises stormwater concerns

Acworth city staff presented a request to annex and rezone 3872 Nance Road (about 0.98 acres) from unincorporated Cobb County R-20 (single-family) to OP (Office Professional) and to designate the parcel as campus living on the city's future land use map, a change staff said would allow room for expansion of an existing school. Mr. Brown said staff finds the proposal compatible with nearby zoning and uses, and that the annexation complies with OCGA 36-36 because the parcel borders the city and reduces a jurisdictional island.

At the February planning and zoning commission hearing, commissioners voted 8–0 to recommend approval with two stipulations: the parcel be designated as campus living on the future land use map and placed in the Lake Commercial Science District. Planning staff referred the full technical analysis to the council via the agenda packet.

During the public comment period, Don Green, who identified himself as a 34-year resident of Acworth, said he observed active runoff on the property during rain and warned it “looked like that's going to be a nightmare for the storm water runoff,” asking whether the city had evaluated the potential cost to address the drainage.

The mayor acknowledged the comment and said staff would take note and investigate the concern; under council practice, public comment is noted but not debated on the spot. Board members suggested moving the annexation and rezoning request to the consent agenda for approval on Thursday and asked staff to inspect the drainage issue. One board member said that if remediation is required on the school's side, that expense would likely fall to North Cobb Christian School rather than the city.

The council did not take a final vote on the annexation at this meeting; the item was placed on the consent agenda for the next regular meeting on Thursday, when the council expects to act on the request after staff follow-up.