A Potentially Biased Account of Cherokee County's Zoning Meeting

Just posted over at Atlanta 575 Real Estate...

Before I get into last night's event (and I mean event), I want to state my potential biases and credentials for covering this topic...
-I make my living by representing buyers and sellers in the Cherokee County real estate market.
-I was born and raised in Cherokee County.
-I am a business owner in Cherokee County.
-I live in Cobb County.
-I own investment property in Cherokee County.
-I also own property where my business is located in Cherokee County.
-My mom, grandmother, and brother all live in Cherokee County along with many friends.
-Most of my dining and shopping dollars are spent in Cherokee County.

Last night I saw local politics at it's best and worst, confirmed that local government staff is overwhelmed, and local politicians make very tough decisions. But what struck me most was witnessing a perfect example of NIMBYism. (NIMBY (an acronym of Not In My Back Yard) is an acronym for the phenomenon in which residents oppose a development as inappropriate for their local area, but by implication do not oppose such development in another's.)

Most of the attendees at last nights Board of Commissioners Meeting and Planning and Zoning Meeting were there to support or oppose Macauley Companies new project "A Village in the Forest". (There were other large issues covered in the meeting.) I went in support of the project because I believe Smart Growth is the best solution for managing the infrastructure issues that Cherokee County is burdened with. The opposition came across as true NIMBY's. After sitting through the BOC Meeting to have a seat at the Planning and Zoning Meeting, I noticed the following:

Only 1 person made comments opposing any of the 9 other rezonings heard at the BOC Meeting. Yet, dozens heckled the Planning and Zoning Board constantly throughout the Macauley projects public hearing. Those 9 other rezonings encompassed over 390+ Acres of land to be built upon, yet no one seemed to care.

The opposition to Macauley's project focused on schools, roads, and taxes. There were some nit-pickers analyzing whether the application was completed properly or signs posted accurately to attack the project from a legal loophole. There was also some opposition to the project due to lack of compliance with future land use maps. However, the majority of the opposition (and 90% of the hecklers) voiced concerns about schools, roads and taxes.

Why did they not voice these same concerns on any of the other 9 projects covering over 390+ acres?

If providing quality schools for the kids of Cherokee County is important on one rezoning, then why not all of them?

If making sure traffic and safety on the county roads is handled properly on one project, why not all of them?

If being concerned about raising taxes to cover the cost of schools, roads, fire & police on one project, why not all of them?

Macauley pledged assistance to fund or donate land to all of the above concerns and none of the other projects made any such commitment. It appears to me that developers can do smaller projects in a piece-meal fashion with hodge-podge cohesiveness between each project and the local citizens and politicians are okay with that kind of sporadic growth. But present the county with a master-planned, thousands of acres, and 20 year time-frame for developing a project of regional value and they lose their minds opposing a project with Smart Growth features. Does this mean Cherokee County prefers Dumb Growth?

Here are the principles of Smart Growth (as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)...

Smart Growth Principles

1. Mix Land Uses
2. Take Advantage of Compact Building Design
3. Create a Range of Housing Opportunities and Choices
4. Create Walkable Neighborhoods
5. Foster Distinctive, Attractive Communities with a Strong Sense of Place
6. Preserve Open Space, Farmland, Natural Beauty, and Critical Environmental Areas
7. Strengthen and Direct Development Towards Existing Communities
8. Provide a Variety of Transportation Choices
9. Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair, and Cost Effective
10. Encourage Community and Stakeholder Collaboration in Development Decisions

How does Macauley's project "A Village in the Forest" stack up to these principals?
1. Mixed use is apparent and abundant.
2. Compact building design is incorporated by building on only 60% of the land.
3. All sorts of housing is proposed from townhomes, cottages, first-time homebuyers to executive housing and retirement homes.
4. An integrated sidewalk and trail system is planned for access to every part of the project.
5. "A Village in the Forest" could be a legacy project for Cherokee County, surpassing Towne Lake and BridgeMill by leaps and bounds. Local, regional and national awards are sure to follow.
6. 40% or 1,600+/- acres will be preserved as undeveloped land with parks, nature trails and natural scenery to enjoy. The quality of Lake Allatoona is guaranteed to have zero impact from this project. In fact, it may improve the Lake.
7. Macauley does not meet this principal of Smart Growth, as this project is isolated from existing communities.
8. A variety of transportation options are planned, including walking, biking, driving and possible bus service.
9. Most developments will qualify for being predictable, fair and cost effective otherwise developers would not do them as the market demand would not be there.
10. The largest stakeholder (the property owner) has chosen Macauley over other options of developing this property. The local residents and government officials have had several community meetings on this issue and collaboration has been open by all parties.

That's 9 out 10 Smart Growth principles being met by the Macauley Project! These are principles defined by the EPA for the betterment of the public environment. I would guess that of the other 9 projects up for rezoning last night would only meet 3 or 4 of these requirements each., yet no one complained about stopping those developments? Click here for a complete breakdown of how the Macauley Project scored on Smart Growth objectives from the EPA, Earth Craft Communities, Etowah Habitat, and LEED rating systems.

I believe Smart Growth is the best solution for managing a pending population boom for all of Metro Atlanta. I only hope the local Cherokee politicians and citizens realize the value before it's too late.