Sprayberry Crossing, North Point Ministries Tabled Until May

COBB COUNTY, GA — Cobb County residents will be waiting at least another month to see what's coming next in two contentious developments in the county: Sprayberry Crossing and North Point Ministries.

The Cobb Planning Commission unanimously voted Tuesday to hold the Sprayberry Crossing mixed-use development and the proposed North Point Ministries 33-acre complex in east Cobb rezonings until its May meeting. Tuesday's zoning hearing was packed, with dozens of residents showing up to speak for and against the developments — and nearly 600 signed up for a virtual speaking slot.

Atlantic Residential — the developer of the Sprayberry Crossing project — will include office and retail space, a Lidl grocery store, 44 townhomes, 125 units for residents age 55 and older, and 125 apartments in the project, according to site plans.

David Stafford spoke against the development, saying apartments will invite poor people into the neighborhood, per the Marietta Daily Journal.

“The one-bedroom apartments—and really, all of the apartments, I believe—are only going to attract transient, lower-income individuals by the hundreds, which will not bring investment into our community," Stafford said. "Instead, I believe that it will bring crime, drugs, and other various problems.”

However, the one-bedroom apartments alone will have a starting rental price of $1,400 per month, the MDJ reported.

The Planning Commission also pushed the rezoning of North Point Ministries' 33-acre complex in east Cobb, which includes a 125,000-square-foot church, 110 housing units and retail space. Residents are similarly divided on this development, as they are with Sprayberry Crossing.

“East Cobb is ever-changing. East Cobb needs this church, it needs this development,” resident Scott Bagwell said.

But the complex property is divided by a drained lake, which is now a creek and wetland area. Some residents like Jill Flamm of the East Cobb Civic Association say there are traffic, density and stormwater management issues with the application.

The Cobb Planning Commission meets again for a zoning hearing May 4 at 9 a.m. on the second floor at 100 Cherokee St., Marietta.

Read more on the Marietta Daily Journal website.