Dog park, I-75 truck stop, more: What developments were approved, paused in Macon-Bibb
A controversial rezoning measure for a new truck stop on Sardis Church Road near Interstate 75 was put on hold Monday in hopes of mitigating concerns of nearby residents.
Developers seek the rezoning of a 31-acre wooded area at 5250 Sardis Church Road from agricultural to wholesale and light industrial use. Residents on the western end of the property are concerned about increased traffic, noise, lightning and potential impact on the environment
The truck stop would be located across the street from the Love’s Travel Stop and across the interstate from the Amazon Fulfillment Center and a QuikTrip convenience store under construction.
“We really don’t want to see another truck stop here,” resident Jessica Malone told the Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission.
Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Bill Howell, who noted he wasn’t taking a position either for or against the proposed development, asked the board to consider requiring a traffic study.
His district includes the proposed truck stop.
Developers said they were willing to undertake a traffic study to determine whether signalization would be warranted, possibly at Frank Amerson Parkway and Sardis Church Road.
They also were agreeable to creating an agricultural buffer on western end of the property between the truck stop and the residential area.
The Planning and Zoning Commission opted to defer the proposal until the March 22 meeting in order to meet with developers and other local entities and to see what can be worked out.
Barks ‘n Brews
In other business, P&Z commissioners approved conditional use to allow for Barks ‘n Brews, a downtown dog park and bar, within a central business district.
They also gave Kate Lambert of Macon the OK to also offer live music on site.
Lambert is building the off-leash, fenced-in dog park on a 1.58 acre-site that includes Rotary Park and the adjacent property in the 600 block of Riverside Drive near Second Street.
She plans to serve wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks from a renovated Airstream Sovereign trailer on site.
The property will also include two pergolas with benches and tables with chairs and umbrellas for seating. There will also be restrooms on site.
Dog owners may purchase a day pass, monthly or annual memberships and will be required to provide the pet’s vaccination records in order to enter the park, Lambert said. Dogs also must be spayed or neutered by the age of 1 to be admitted.
The entry cost is per dog, with those who come without a dog allowed in free, Lambert said.
Lambert told commissioners she plans to initially operate Wednesday through Sunday, with the bar services from 4-9 p.m. Wednesday through Thursday and from 4-11 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“The idea is to provide a safe, a well-kept, clean environment — a place for people to take their dogs and for their dogs to be off leash and have the ability to run around and get the exercise that our pets need,” Lambert said.
P&Z commissioner Gary Bechtel characterized the dog park as ”a unique opportunity.”
“Thank you for putting in the time, energy and investment to do this,” Bechtel told Lambert. “It’s a unique opportunity for those who live downtown and who have pets.”
Commissioners also approved the rezoning of three contiguous properties from multi-family residential district to general commercial district to allow a funeral home and a chapel.
The first property located at 2312 Houston Ave. was previously owned by the Salvation Army and the properties at 445 Ell St. and 487 Ell St. are vacant.
Also approved was conditional use for Lowcountry Foundation Repair to use a building and grounds at 240 Mercer Junction for storage of its materials for its foundation repair business.
Additionally, the commissioners gave the OK for conditional use for Division 7 Supply, Inc., to allow wholesale distribution of building supplies at 540 Allied Industrial Blvd.
This story was originally published February 23, 2021 at 5:00 AM.