Neighbors get rezoning request killed

After hearing strong opposition from neighbors, the Houston County Commission voted down a rezoning Tuesday that would have allowed an apartment complex in Bonaire.

The vote drew applause from about 20 people at the meeting who opposed the rezoning.

The tract could have held up to 220 units, but the developer had not stated how many were planned, said Tim Andrews, the county’s planning and zoning administrator.

The number of units is based on an estimate from the city of Warner Robins of the sewage capacity in the area. Although the tract is not in the city, a city sewer line runs beside it.

The applicants, David Hill and Jon Gausche, sought to change the zoning from R-1, agriculture/single-family residential, to R-4, multifamily residential. They were not at the meeting.

The 35-acre tract is on Davidson Road, south of Azalea Avenue and east of Ga. 247.

The Planning and Zoning Board voted unanimously to approve the rezoning, but the commissioners voted unanimously to deny it.

One key was that the property is not in the city of Warner Robins, but would require sewage service from Warner Robins. Andrews said the applicants were told to get a letter from the city assuring that sewage service would be provided but that had not been produced. The city had given an estimate of the sewage capacity, but not an assurance that the service would be provided.

Commissioner Larry Thomson mentioned sewage in explaining his decision.

“Without a guarantee for sewer, it’s a no-brainer,” Thomson said.

About 20 people in the audience raised their hands when Commission Chairman Tommy Stalnaker asked who was opposed to the rezoning. Several spoke in opposition, and one of those was Howard Davidson. He and other residents said the traffic in the area is already bad and it can’t handle a significant housing development.

“I don’t want apartments down there,” he said. “I’ve lived down there all my life, and I don’t want to see it.”

This story was originally published April 4, 2017 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Neighbors get rezoning request killed."