As development looms, residents worry conserving Pine Log is a ‘pipe dream’

The expanse of woods, creeks and untouched land is one of Georgia’s largest pieces of contiguous property with a sole owner, which was amassed by the Neel family over the past century. Sam Vincent, a resident opposed to allowing granite mining at the former Pine Log Wildlife Management Area, said neighbors didn’t have the luxury of stockpiling land to insulate their way of life.

“You gotta buy more (land) if you don’t want more crap to happen around you,” he said. “But unfortunately, a mine is just like, ‘Oh my God, anything but a mine.’”

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

For nearly 50 years, the 14,000-acre expanse along I-75 was leased to the state Department of Natural Resources as the Pine Log Wildlife Management Area. But in May 2023, the family opted not to renew its lease, cutting off public access and simultaneously pursuing plans to sell the land for continued conservation — or develop it piece by piece if those negotiations linger.

Last year, Bartow County’s sole commissioner, Steve Taylor, approved a controversial “development district” that would allow millions of square feet of industrial space, 16,500 residences, hundreds of acres of commercial development, 500 acres for mining and 5,000 acres reserved as green space. Individual projects within the district, such as the mining proposal, will need to go back before Taylor to receive final approval. (The planning commission is an advisory body, which voted 4-3 on Monday to recommend Taylor approve the mining plan.)

“We’ve got some development coming, and we’ve got to figure out how best to develop it and what makes sense while minimizing the impact on the community,” said planning commission Chairman Boyd Morris, who voted to endorse the plan. “Minimizing impact is not zero impact.”

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

A petition urging the Department of Natural Resources to buy the property — sometimes called Georgia’s “Yellowstone” — has garnered more than 14,000 signatures, but those discussions have broken down over the sales price. Jim Ramseur, the Neel family’s representative, said those talks are ongoing, adding that other national conservation groups are also involved.

“It takes an army to get those done,” he said of those negotiations.

Residents who live near Pine Log or have visited it for decades are growing weary of those efforts to preserve the land or transform it into public green space.

“That’s just a pipe dream that’s being spoken about to win you over,” Bartow resident James McArn said of the conservation negotiations. “There’s nothing anywhere in writing.”

Debating property rights

Bartow County, an Atlanta exurb along I-75, has attracted a wave of development interest.

The county added new homes at the fastest rate in Georgia with 5.3% growth between 2022 and 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. It’s population eclipsed 100,000 in 2010 and has since grown to more than 115,000.

The area’s rapid growth is partly due to industrial developers seeking cheap and available land within Atlanta’s orbit. Bartow has attracted a $2.5 billion solar panel factory by Qcells and a $5 billion electric vehicle battery plant by Hyundai Motor Group and SK On, each promising thousands of jobs. The rush of development prompted the Neel family to list the property, Ramseur said.

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Some residents view the decision more cynically.

“This is about financial gain,” said Amanda Siniard, who started a petition against the quarry proposal that amassed more than 2,100 signatures. “This is not about a property owner’s right.”

Cobb County-based Georgia Stone Products has partnered with the Neel family to set up a central rock pit for mining along with a granite plant on a 500-acre site north of Stamp Creek Road and east of Old Furnace Road. Bart Boyd, founder of Georgia Stone Products, said the quarry location will “have the least amount of impact” within the predetermined potential mining area that was approved last year.

“It is going to put it very close to a corridor that is going to experience a lot of development for the next 20 to 30 years,” he said.

National development firm Hines, the owner of Atlantic Station, is in the planning phase to build a mixed-use village on 1,064 acres near U.S. 411, which would include about 2,800 residences, 750,000 square feet of commercial space and a site for a potential school. Ramseur said the project’s density — a sore point for residents and some county leaders — would leave more property for green space or potential conservation.

Discussions to sell the Pine Log site to the state stalled in mid-2023 with the parties $30 million apart on a sales price. Ramseur said he believes the land could be sold for hundreds of millions of dollars.

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

A Department of Natural Resources spokesperson said the agency “remains interested in finding a way to acquire the former WMA (wildlife management area) property for conservation purposes and outdoor recreational opportunities.” Ramseur added that the family is also in discussions with the National Park Service and several nonprofits, including the Trust for Public Land, the Nature Conservancy and the Conservation Fund.

Monica Thornton, executive director of The Nature Conservancy, wrote in a letter to the planning commission that she opposed the quarry plan over its potential impact on imperiled species and nearby residents. She added that her organization aims to restore “public access to these natural lands that residents have enjoyed for decades.”

“TNC (The Nature Conservancy) remains committed to the best possible conservation outcome for the property,” she said.

What’s next?

Bartow County’s sole commissioner, Steve Taylor, will hold a public meeting Jan. 8 at 10 a.m. to decide whether to approve the quarry rezoning and other amendments. It will be in person at the Frank Moore Administration and Judicial Center at 135 West Cherokee Ave. in Cartersville.