Marietta Planning Commission to consider annexation, 600 homes for Bells Ferry property

Jake Busch, Marietta Daily Journal, Ga.
·2 min read

Dec. 5—On Tuesday, the Marietta Planning Commission will consider developer Beazer Homes' request to annex about 170 acres of property into the city.

Beazer is proposing to build 600 homes on property owned by the Montgomery family that sits between Bells Ferry Road and I-575. A vast majority of the land marked for development — roughly 168 acres — is in unincorporated Cobb County.

Last month, the Cobb Board of Commissioners objected to the annexation on the grounds that the proposed rezoning for a mix of single-family detached homes and townhomes, slated at 3.4 units per acre, exceeds the county's acceptable threshold of 3 units per acre.

The Bells Ferry Civic Association has opposed the development and encouraged the county to formally object to the annexation.

Other concerns outlined by county staff include the traffic impacts of such a significant development, and possible historic sites or cemeteries located on the property.

According to George "Drew" Montgomery Jr., there are Civil War gravesites scattered throughout the area. Montgomery also told the MDJ he has found bullets and other remnants of the war while exploring the property his father, George Montgomery, purchased in the late 1940s.

Both Drew Montgomery and Tullan Avard, executive director of the Bells Ferry Civic Association, are also concerned the development would impact a wildlife refuge established by the Montgomery family on the land.

Rusty Roth, Marietta's development services director, said the city can continue to move the proposal through its rezoning process with Tuesday's hearing, despite the county's objection to the annexation.

Marietta Mayor Steve "Thunder" Tumlin said last month the city welcomed the project because a portion of the property — about under 10 acres — is already within the city limits, and the new homes will boost attendance at schools in the area, like Sawyer Road Elementary.

The property Beazer is aiming to annex also sits adjacent to an 87-acre parcel the Montgomery family deeded to the county two years ago. The county is planning to spend nearly $9 million to restore a dam and lake on that land.

The Marietta Planning Commission meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Marietta City Hall at 205 Lawrence St.