Tuesday, August 27, 2024–9:45 p.m.

-David Crowder, WRGA News-

The Floyd County Commission said no for now to a rezoning request for property that includes the Rome Speedway.

The applicant was seeking to rezone close to 124 acres fronting Chulio Road and Highway 411 from Suburban Residential and Multifamily Residential to Heavy Industrial to sell the property for industrial use.

Rome-Floyd County Planning Director Brice Wood told commissioners that planning staff did have some concerns with the application.

“Heavy Industrial tends to produce things that are less desirable and infrastructure is not there to support it,” he said. “Most importantly, when you don’t have sewer you tend to get things like junkyards, landfills, storage units, solar farms. We are concerned that without that necessary infrastructure in place to lure in a great employer, that’s what you wind up with. Ultimately, we felt like this was premature. As I said, it is a speculative request. There is no one on the books that is looking to develop the property.”

Some nearby residents opposed the rezoning citing concerns about traffic, property values, and the impact on agriculture.

Attorney Bryceson Mercer, speaking on behalf of the applicants tried to ease some of those fears by proposing conditions that would eliminate most of the most intensive uses allowed in industrial districts.

“Such as quarrying, gravel pits, junkyards, things that typically would be pretty unsightly,” he said. .”We’re agreeing to have all of our lighting face downwards. The side and rear setbacks, even if the code were to change, they would be 200 feet when adjacent to agricultural and residential districts. We are aware that Chulio does have a weight limit of 37,000 pounds, so we are proposing to have all heavy truck access, that’d be class eight trucks that weigh 33,000 pounds or more, will have access from Highway 411.”

Missy Kendrick, President and CEO of the Rome-Floyd County Development Authority spoke in favor of the request, citing the need for more land to market to industrial prospects.

The commission voted to deny without prejudice, meaning the applicant can reapply without having to wait a full year.