The City of Villa Rica has joined Carroll County in objecting to Paulding County’s consideration of a rock quarry proposed for the county’s northern border.
The Villa Rica City Council on Tuesday approved sending a letter objecting to a proposed rezoning of a portion of Paulding County land and a special-use permit that would permit construction of an open-pit mining quarry.
Also on Tuesday, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners approved a letter opposing consideration of the zoning change and special-use permit.
Both letters are addressed to the chairman of the Paulding County Board of Commissioners, along with that county’s Planning Commission, its Planning and Zoning Division manager, and the Community Development department.
Paulding County is scheduled to take up the matter on July 23.
The letter states that the City objects to applications made to rezone 201 acres of land on Highway 101 along the county border. The plan being considered by Paulding would rezone that tract to the Heavy Industrial Zoning Division, and to provide a special-use permit for the construction of an open-pit quarry.
The letter signed by Mayor Leslie McPherson states that the City has concerns for the “safety, environmental, and general welfare” of Villa Rica’s residents, roads and businesses.
Along with the potential for increased noise, dust, and water contamination, the city states that there are concerns that traffic entering or leaving the site would have to travel through Villa Rica to reach Interstate 20.
“This increased heavy truck traffic will deteriorate the roads through the City and have an adverse impact on traffic in the City.”
The similarly worded letter from Carroll County also that the county “will be forced to impose load and route limits on vehicles” to ensure drivers use designated truck routes on U.S. and state highways.
Both the city’s letter and the county’s letter ask the Paulding commissioners to deny the application.
