Residents press council for fuller developer briefings on Rico Road rezoning

Chattahoochee Hills — Residents near Rico Road urged the council on March 4 to require more substantive developer engagement before a large rezoning is considered at Planning Commission and council hearings.

David Robinson, who lives at 7650 Rico Road, told council members that an initial community meeting drew roughly 50 people but that the applicant’s representative was not prepared to answer technical questions. "I was seeking... that possibly Mike Morton would try to set up a meeting with more than Mr West — bring the developer, Harrison Merl Jr., and the planner/engineer people that actually know what the project is going to be," Robinson said, asking that such a meeting occur before the Planning Commission hearing so neighbors have clearer information.

Community Development Director Mike Morton told the council that the Rico Road mixed-use hamlet application is pending a traffic study and that public hearings are advertised for upcoming commission and council meetings but may be delayed until traffic data is available. The council did not make a final scheduling decision at the March 4 meeting; staff said they will seek to coordinate additional community meetings and provide the traffic study when received.