Commissioners Postpone Vote On Mt. Bethel Christian Academy's Athletic Field Changes

EAST COBB, GA — Mt. Bethel Christian Academy leaders will have to wait until next year to find out if the site plan changes to the school's proposed athletic field will be approved by the county.

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted last Tuesday, Dec. 21 to hold a request by Mt. Bethel Christian Academy to make revisions to the site plan for athletic facilities the school proposed building at its North campus on Post Oak Tritt Road. The case will be heard again in February.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, who represents northeast Cobb, said the site plan changes weren't complete and was received too late for commissioners to feel comfortable putting forth a vote, East Cobb News reported. Additionally, the East Cobb Civic Association and nearby residents objected to the proposed facilities.

"We asked that they provide a complete site plan," Birrell said, according to ECN. "I didn't receive anything until Dec. 15 after 5 p.m."

Cobb commissioners granted a special land-use permit to Mt. Bethel Christian Academy in 2013 to open its high school on Post Oak Tritt Road, ECN reported. Grades 9 to 12 are housed in this campus, called the Upper School, with kindergarten through eighth grade attending the campus on Lower Roswell Road.

The proposed athletic field, if approved, would be built at the Upper School.

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy had proposed making the following revisions to the site plan: relocate the athletic field house to the south end of the field from the west end; relocate the previously-approved 82 parking spaces from south of the tennis courts to to the north end; and add 39 more parking spaces for a grand total of 121 parking spaces. Those changes will be heard at a February meeting.