The Henry County Commission on Tuesday approved a moratorium on construction of new subdivisions and shopping centers in a pocket of the county that’s being heavily targeted by home builders and commercial developers.
District 3 Commissioner Dee Anglyn called for the pause in construction in the far eastern part of the county, around the North Ola area, in response to an avalanche of applications Henry leaders have received for rezonings, lot modifications and amendments to Henry’s comprehensive plan.
Henry leaders will create a master plan specifically for development of the area during the moratorium.
“This is not to stop a private property owner from building a single family residence or accessory structures, but to reject all applications for mass development, such as subdivisions or commercial complexes, in this area until the North Ola master plan has been devised by staff and consultants,” he said.
Henry County, one of metro Atlanta’s fastest growing communities, has struggled to keep pace with the impact of almost two decades of growth. Pronounced increases in the development of strip malls, subdivisions and warehousing has lead to clogged roads, overwhelmed public safety and crowded schools.
Tuesday’s moratorium is not the first the county has approved. In the past few years, the county has restricted the construction of car washes, apartment complexes and townhomes in an effort to address growth. It also has instituted five-mile buffers between dollar stores and small-box discount retail.
The North Ola moratorium will be in place for one year. A total of 443 parcels will be affected by the pause.
Henry will pay a consultant to help develop the North Ola master plan, the county said.
“In the past, a lot of Henry development has been piecemeal,” said Kamau As-Salaam, the county’s assistant director of planning and zoning. He added that a lot of the property in the mortarium consists of many 300- to 400-acre chunks of land.
“This will give us an opportunity to do some smart growth,” he said.
District 1 Commissioner Johnny Wilson praised the move, saying it’s important to keep a check on growth.
“I’ve only approved 325 homes in seven years in District 1,” he said. “This is a better way to help control that growth in District 3.”
About the Author
