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Chattahoochee Hills council pauses Ricco Road hamlet rezoning after residents raise runoff, quarry and traffic concerns
Summary
Council continued the public hearing on a proposed 273.89-acre rezoning (25-006) for a 274-unit mixed-use hamlet until April 1 after residents pressed for more traffic counts, stormwater analysis and developer outreach.
The Chattahoochee Hills City Council on Feb. 4 continued a contested rezoning application for a proposed Ricco Road hamlet to give staff, the planning commission and the applicant time to complete a required traffic study and answer residents' technical questions.
Community Development Director Morton described the proposal as “a proposed rezoning of 273.89 acres from RL Bridal District to the HMMU Mixed Use Hamlet District” with a concept plan showing 274 clustered residential units and 71% of the property protected as open space. The plan would reserve a little over an acre for nonresidential uses and limit access on the unpaved Vernon Grove Road to emergency, bicycle, pedestrian and equestrian uses, Morton said.
Residents speaking at the public hearing urged the council to delay action. David Robinson, who lives on Rico Road, asked the council to “continue until the April 1 meeting” so the applicant could bring technical staff and the developer to answer detailed questions. Ken Hearn, a 70-acre adjacent landowner, warned of environmental risk to Longino Creek, saying, “Our paramount concern centers on the impact on Longino Creek,” and urged the council to reject the rezoning.
Applicant attorney Chris West acknowledged the community's concerns and said the team would return with more information. West defended elements of the concept plan and described the “flats” shown on the plan as condo-style units sold in a single title, and he committed the project team to enhanced best-management-practice stormwater measures to avoid environmental impact to the creek.
After public testimony, the council voted unanimously to continue the public hearing on agenda item 25-006 to April 1 at 6:00 p.m. No final zoning action was taken. The planning commission had already deferred its recommendation pending receipt of a traffic study and additional technical analyses (water/sewer pipe linear feet and any right-of-way needs), and councilmembers said they wanted that material before any final vote.
What happens next: staff will post the traffic study and any supplemental materials when available, the applicant may be asked to provide technical planners or engineers for the next session, and the council will reconvene the hearing on April 1 at 6:00 p.m. to consider the record and any planning commission recommendation.
