Date: September 24, 2005
TO: Commissioners Helen Goreham, Tim Lee, Joe Lee Thompson, Annette Kesting and Chairman Sam Olens
Cc: Mark Danneman, John Pederson
RE: Opposition to
Z-162 (carwash)In July, three representatives of PLAN met with the Applicant Taylor Freelan and Jamie Lanier concerning their interest in locating a large carwash at this site. We explained the need to protect the homeowners’ from additional traffic congestion at this dangerous juncture, and therefore safety was one of our main concerns. The response to our concern that we received was that the number of cars that would use the mega carwash daily would be: 300 M-F; 600 Saturdays & 400 on Sundays. This answer was precisely what we have been trying to protect this dangerous juncture and the nearby residents from.
The Applicant stated that when he’d sold his last carwash business, the contract included a Non-Competitive Agreement that prohibited him from building any AutoBuffs within a 5-mile radius of his sold carwash facilities. Other AutoBuffs have already been constructed in other locations, and now he wants to build one in West Cobb. But, the Non-Competitive Agreement has made finding a suitable site in West Cobb a problem.
Due to the Non-Competitive Agreement that he agreed to for financial reasons, this Applicant has boxed himself into a situation of now having to attempt a rezoning at a location that is less than suitable for the mega carwash. It is not the duty of the county to grant a rezoning based on this reason nor should the neighboring residents bear the burden of this inappropriate use.
P.L.A.N. has fought to protect the integrity of homeowners’ property values and quality of life from inappropriate development since its incorporation in 1997. This triangular parcel of land formed by Dallas Hwy, Barrett Pkwy and Villa Rica Way was of particular concern to us from the beginning.
We oppose this rezoning request for the following reasons
:IMPROPER TRANSITION:
The proper transition in a CAC would ensure that the most intense uses are nearest the intersection with lesser uses transitioning outward & offices as the buffer between commercial and residential.
The transition from intense use (Shell gas station) at the intersection of Dallas Hwy & Barrett Pkwy to the far southern point of this triangle of land, the site in question, has already been established.
The two developments between the Shell gas station and the site in question are the less intense uses establishing the transition:Texaco Lube Shop (Williamsburg style) on the Barrett Pkwy side & behind it
Children’s Medical Center (all-brick two-story) across from Nob Ridge subdivision entry on Villa Rica Way
We worked with representatives of these two businesses on the architecture for the buildings to ensure they would blend with the residential homes. The remaining parcel of land beyond these two uses was the perfect place for an office as the site is located at a the busy juncture of Barrett Pkwy and Villa Rica Way.
In December of 2003 a stipulation was added to the zoning on this site to allow for office usage. PLAN approved the architectural rendering of the 3-story all-brick office building. This office usage was the perfect fit for this busy traffic juncture; although a two-story office bldg would be even better.
Office
uses are:Quiet uses &
Generate few car trips daily Mon - Fri.
Weekends are seldom active.
Correct Transition from intense use to least intense use as buffer for residential
The mega carwash proposed will be the exact opposite
.Highly intensive use 7 days a week, more intense than the gas station at the corner, Improper transition
300+ additional cars Mon - Fri (7am - 8pm)
600+ cars per day on Saturdays & 400+ on Sundays (7am - 8pm)
Noise - Numerous Vacuums & constant traffic flow
Leapfrogging the lesser intense uses of the Txco Lube and the Children’s Medical Center
There will be no respite for the Nob Ridge homeowners whose subdivision entrance is located in close proximity to this carwash nor for the many who live nearby and travel Barrett Pkwy several times daily.
TRAFFIC:
The Barrett Pkwy / Villa Rica Way juncture is a highly dangerous one as people are constantly darting across Barrett Pkwy from the Staples Center to access Villa Rica Way & vise versa. The mega carwash will multiply this dangerous situation with the addition of hundreds of cars per day at this juncture, creating a hazard for all who live in the area..
Barrett Pkwy was constructed as a ‘people-mover’ for commuters with the last 1cent sales tax. The citizens were promised that this road would be for commuters and not for development; therefore, few median cuts and few curb cuts were to be allowed.
Since the beginning of this school year, cars are often backed up on Barrett Pkwy for over a mile south of the Dallas Hwy / Barrett Pkwy intersection. Commuter traffic will only grow worse once the subdivisions now under construction in the area are completed; not to mention those yet to be developed. The new middle and high school located on Casteel Road will also bring additional traffic to this commuter road.
To place this hugely inappropriate 'draw' for additional car trips at this highly inappropriate location would be going against the promise to the citizens to keep the integrity of Barrett as a commuter road.
In July, each of PLAN’s Board of Director’s came to the site to review the traffic conditions, proximity to residential homes, and the nature and character of the area. After much consideration, each BOD member stated that there was not even one reason for PLAN to reverse its long-standing decision and go against all the years of hard effort to protect this site from such intense uses. (The carwash use fails the test of the Steinberg Criteria.)
If this mega carwash were to be granted, it would:
Alter the rural ambiance and character that this area has managed to maintain despite the growth
Go against the county's guidelines for proper transitioning
Increase traffic congestion to a commuter road at an already dangerous road juncture and
Cause harm to the residents of Nob Ridge subdivision who are located across Villa Rica Way from the site
Therefore, we respectfully ask that you deny this petition.
Sincerely,
Michael Perla, P.L.A.N. President
Denise Rose, P.L.A.N. Secretary & Chairperson of PLAN’s Dallas Hwy/Barrett Pkwy CAC Committee