Gas station, self-storage proposed at SR 20 and Airline Road

Satellite image of McDonough with pin dropped at state route 20 and Airline Road (Google photo)

The zoning advisory board next meets on Thursday, May 13, at 6:30 pm. During the meeting, board members will hear a new rezoning request at the southwest corner of state route 20 and Airline Road. The applicant, J&P Synergy of McDonough, GA, is proposing a gas station and self-storage business.

Update: the zoning advisory board recommended approval of the request. It will appear before the BOC at a later date for a final decision.

County meetings have resumed in-person. They occur at the Henry County Admin Building in McDonough. Masks are required when inside the building.

Subject Property

The property consists of 19.998 +/- acres. The concept site plan depicts the following:

  • Six acres for a gas station and retail space (C-1 uses) at the intersection,
  • Six acres for interior-access self-storage (C-3 use) to the west of the C-1 uses, and
  • Seven acres of mostly flood zone on the southern half of the property.

The applicant applied to rezone the property from RA (residential agricultural) to C-1 (neighborhood commercial) and C-3 (highway commercial). They also requested a comp plan amendment. The future land use map presently supports industrial buildings on the property. The requested change is for commercial.

The subject property falls within the highway corridor overlay district. The overlay district provides higher construction standards for new construction. For example, the applicant must install a 10’ multi-use path along highway 20 and enhanced landscaping. The overlay district also prohibits new self-storage, except where designed to mirror Class “A” office space.

The zoning advisory board will conduct a public hearing before making their recommendation. Staff will then schedule the cases for a commission meeting. The BOC will make the final decision following a second public hearing.

Staff Report

Henry County planning staff consider nine criteria points when reviewing a rezoning request. Some of the criteria points include conformity to the comp plan and development code, and impact to adjacent properties. The requirements of the highway corridor overlay district are designed to lessen the impact on adjacent properties.

Planning staff are recommending denial of C-1 and C-3 zoning, but approval of mixed use (MU) zoning. Proposed conditions include limiting the property to C-1 and C-2 permitted uses. The only C-3 permitted use would be interior-access self-storage. The conditions also require a traffic impact study and GDOT permitting for driveway access. Finally, planning staff recommends the county amend the comp plan for mixed use instead of commercial.

Airline Road

The rezoning request is the second application at the intersection of state route 20 and Airline Road. Earlier this year, the ZAB heard a request for a new subdivision. The project is at the southeast corner of the intersection.

The ZAB recommended approval of the rezoning request with conditions. It has not been presented to the BOC for a final decision.

Featured image shows map of McDonough with dropped pin at SR 20 and Airline Road. Credit Google Maps.

About Clayton 1738 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of The Henry Reporter. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.