Birrell to cast tie-breaking vote on south Cobb development at Barnes' farm

Dec. 19—The months-long effort by developer David Pearson to gain approval for 114 single-family homes on a south Cobb farm owned by former Gov. Roy Barnes is expected to come to a head Tuesday.

Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell is expected to cast the tie-breaking vote in the rezoning case at the Board of Commissioners' zoning hearing.

Birrell declined to comment on the matter when reached by the Journal Monday.

During last month's hearing, the commission split 2-2 over the proposed development, which originally included 132 homes on 190 acres, but has been reduced by Pearson to 114 units.

With Birrell absent, Chairwoman Lisa Cupid and Commissioner Keli Gambrill voted against the proposal, while commissioners Jerica Richardson and Monique Sheffield voted in favor.

The case is technically "pending," said John Pederson, Cobb's zoning division manager. On Tuesday, Birrell is expected to cast her vote in the matter, rather than the entire commission voting again.

The land proposed for development is located on Brown Road near Stout Park in Powder Springs, and 125 of the 190 acres would be set aside as green space under the county's "open space community" category, which allows developers to put houses on smaller lots in exchange for providing common green space to their residents.

Flooding and stormwater concerns have been the driving force behind the debate over the development since the Planning Commission first heard it in July.

Clithon Rice, a resident near the farm who has been active in opposing the rezoning request, has repeatedly shown images of flooding in the area in the past, which he said the Pearson development, by increasing impervious surfaces, would exacerbate.

At November's hearing, Cupid raised her own concerns about flooding.

"I know back in, what was it, September 2009, they had the 500-year flood, but even just, I think, two or four years prior to that, there was Hurricane Dennis that damaged a number of homes in that same area," Cupid said.

Kevin Moore, the attorney representing Pearson, told the Journal Monday the developer has addressed all concerns identified with the proposal. He added that he hopes the Board of Commissioners will approve the application Tuesday, a move recommended by both county zoning staff and the Cobb Planning Commission.

Cupid said at the November hearing she was "torn" about how to vote on the case and did not come into the meeting intending to go against the wishes of two other commissioners, but she ultimately cast a "no" vote, along with Gambrill.

Birrell is scheduled to cast her vote on the proposal at the zoning hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 9 a.m. at 100 Cherokee St.