Council approves rezoning of 7,848-acre Bucart Farm to Hamlet Mixed Use and adopts development agreement with conditions

The council approved item 25-036, a rezoning application for roughly 7,848.25 acres (the Bucart Farm) from rural to Hamlet Mixed Use (HMMU), and then adopted the companion development agreement (item 25-044) after additional debate and amendment. Staff and applicant presentations described the project as a multi‑decade, phased development with a commitment to preserve roughly 5,400–6,000 acres of open and civic space (70% preservation target by phase), a plan for up to roughly 8,300 residential units at full build-out, estimated regional retail and civic space, and a developer commitment to build approximately 10 miles of public trail along the Chattahoochee River.

The public hearing drew dozens of speakers both supporting and opposing the proposal. Supporters emphasized permanent conservation, river access and economic benefits; opponents raised due‑process, procurement, fiscal and traffic capacity concerns and urged delay for further independent review. Council deliberations focused on traffic access points (including a future Garrett's Ferry/bridge access question), vesting and phasing safeguards, protections for historic features, and explicit conditions including a minimum of 200 acres of active agriculture in early phases. After motion and second, council approved the rezoning and adopted additional conditions and the development agreement; council votes on the contested items registered as 3–2. The adopted conditions require iterative DRI review for subsequent phases, implementation of traffic and utility improvements tied to phases, provision of specified emergency services coordination, and dedication/construction obligations for the Riverlands Trail and two public river access points.