Board moves to restore commercial zoning for 2734 Roanoke Road after UDO mapping error

Troup County’s Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning Commission voted to approve a rezoning request for 2734 Roanoke Road, a 3.0-acre parcel that staff said had been ‘accidentally changed’ from commercial to residential when the county’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) map was updated. Staff told the board the Neely family is attempting to sell the property and applied to return the parcel to limited commercial to align with surrounding commercial uses at the Roanoke/Whitaker/Fling intersection.

“During the UDO process and adopting the new map it accidentally got changed to a residential zoning,” staff said when presenting the case. The property was described in staff materials as located near existing gas stations and light commercial parcels, and staff concluded limited commercial would not create traffic, utility, environmental or neighborhood impacts. A representative for the applicant said the owner lives out of state and authorized the local representative to handle the request.

The board moved and seconded approval; the motion carried without public objections. Staff noted that approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals/Planning Commission is a recommendation and that the application will be presented to the Board of Commissioners for final action in January.

What happens next: The approved rezoning will be placed on the commissioners’ agenda for a final vote. If the commissioners approve, the parcel’s zoning will be restored to limited commercial and any future development will still be required to obtain building and development permits.