Earlier this month, Henry County officials received their first update regarding the ongoing planning study for the Henry County Megasite. The megasite includes approximately 6,000 acres located west of US Highway 19 / 41 in southwest Henry County.
Commissioners hired Tunnell-Spangler & Associates, Inc. in February 2019 in the amount of $252,500.00 to complete the megasite master plan. The master plan was a recommendation from Henry County’s comprehensive land use plan adopted in October 2018.
Henry County as a whole contains a strong middle class, a growing number of renters, and a housing market comprised overwhelmingly of single-family detached housing. Other housing types, like townhouses and apartments, represent twenty percent of the county’s housing. In comparison, thirty-three percent of housing in Cobb County comprises other types.
Top growing job sectors in Henry County include trade, transport, education, and medical services. The megasite has the potential to become a major employment and retail destination within south metro Atlanta with a focus on providing either high-tech advanced manufacturing or professional office jobs in the county’s future.
Existing anchors within the megasite include two major highways, US Highway 19 / 41 and Georgia 20, the Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Atlanta Speedway Airport. Potential future anchors include a major mixed-use development or major light industrial employers.
Outreach with local officials and property owners was summarized into the following community goals:
- Quality design (zoning overlay)
- Prohibit warehouse and distribution
- Focus on high tech jobs
- Need unique magnet to attract development from other parts of region
Tunnell-Spangler staff presented the BOC with four possible development scenarios for the megasite’s future:
Conventional Growth
- Scattered development patterns
- Low upfront investment
- Strong market support
- Could begin in short term
- High infrastructure cost
- Minimal regulation
Orderly Growth
- Growth along US 19 / 41
- Moderate upfront investment
- Strong market support
- Could begin in medium term
- Low infrastructure cost
- Moderate regulation
Catalyzed Growth
- Substantial new anchor
- High upfront investment
- Goes beyond market support
- Might have to wait for long term
- Moderate infrastructure cost
- Moderate regulation
Clustered Growth
- Clusters, preserved rural land
- Moderate upfront investment
- Goes beyond market support
- Could begin in medium term
- Moderate infrastructure cost
- Strong regulations
The consultant’s presentation is available to view on the county website.
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