The McDonough council approved revisions to the city’s zoning code on January 2, 2025. A new one-mile buffer requirement on gas stations was among the changes. This new buffer rule effectively prohibits new gas stations within the city.
In addition to service stations, the code revision adds new buffer requirements for several other business types. Some of which are car washes, hotels, discount stores and vape stores.
McDonough Gas Station Buffer
The new gas station buffer in McDonough requires a one-mile buffer. A map of the existing gas stations covers up most of the city. Only residential areas in the eastern part of the city, such as Brush Arbor subdivision on SR 155 and Airline Road, are outside of the one-mile buffer. Because there’s no commercial zoning in these areas, the one-mile buffer effectively bans new gas stations within the city.
The new code revision does not affect projects already underway. For example, new service stations are under construction at Georgia 20 and Phillips Drive, and on Racetrack Road. Lastly, a new gas station on Willow Lane has submitted plans for review.
The buffer requirement applies only inside city limits. It does not apply in unincorporated Henry County. The county does not presently have a buffer requirement for service stations. Instead, their current buffers address only car washes and small-box discount stores i.e. dollar stores.
Stockbridge has a 4,500’ buffer requirement for gas stations. However, they are actively considering a text amendment to reduce their buffer to eight-hundred feet. The text amendment would enable a proposed gas station on Rock Quarry Road to proceed forward. The cities of Hampton and Locust Grove do not have buffer requirements.
Other McDonough Buffer Requirements
The city’s new zoning code includes several other buffer requirements. They include the following:
- Halfway house, one-mile buffer,
- Automotive repair shop, half-mile buffer,
- Car wash, one-mile buffer,
- Hotel or extended-stay hotel, half-mile buffer,
- Pawn shop, one-mile buffer, and
- Vape stores, one-mile buffer,
- Small-box store, one-mile buffer of existing small-box stores, supermarkets or big box stores.
Editor’s note: the above buffers are based on a review of the city’s draft zoning code. The final copy is not yet available. The Henry Reporter is not aware of any changes to what’s listed above.
Featured image shows a map of the gas station one-mile buffer in McDonough. Clayton Carte / The Henry Reporter map created with Datawrapper.
