Holly Springs Rd. Subdivision OK'd

A slightly scaled-back Northeast Cobb subdivision got the go-ahead from the Cobb County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday.

The board voted 3-1 to approve a zoning change allowing 64 houses to be built on slightly more than 33 acres northeast of the intersection of Holly Springs and Post Oak Tritt roads, The Marietta Daily Journal reported.

Chairman Tim Lee voted no, arguing that the zoning should stay at R-20 like nearby subdivisions, capping the development at 60 houses, the MDJ said. Commissioner Bob Ott was absent.

The original proposal called for 84 houses on the site. East Cobb developer EAH Investments cut the request to 72 homes, and the Cobb Planning Commission recommended a maximum of 69 in December.

Do Northeast Cobb and East Cobb need more homes? Tell us in the comments below.

Several people raised concerns about the subdivision, especially related to traffic, during Commissioner JoAnn Birrell’s town-hall meeting Thursday night at the Mountain View Community Center.

While some people questioned the need for new houses in a weak market, Birrell said there’s hot demand for any new homes in the Pope, Lassiter and Walton districts, which is why four subdivisions in her district were approved last year.

The proposed subdivision falls into the Pope district.

Birrell, who represents the area, refused to take a position that night, saying she needed to wait for Tuesday’s hearing.

Although nearby residents turned out in opposition to the subdivision Tuesday, Birrell voted for it.

She told the MDJ that the board’s vote reflected the concerns of both sides.

The development is just south of a traffic roundabout the county will install at Holly Springs and Davis roads this summer. Birrell said that improvement will relieve some of the traffic pressure from the new houses.

It’s still possible the subdivision won’t happen. The developer’s attorney told the MDJ the reduced number of houses could upset the deal to purchase the land from the Mabry Family Trust.

If the purchase goes through, work could start right away. The developer must get a land disturbance permit within a year to preserve the rezoning.