7 months ago
Bibb County planners cleared the way Monday for a major housing development at Bass Road and Rivoli Drive, but first they want the project to shrink.
Neighbors and developers have tangled for three months over the Founders Pond project in North Bibb.
Monday afternoon, Planning and Zoning committee members voted four to one to rezone the land, from agricultural to residential.
The original plans called for more than 700 apartments, townhouses, and assisted living homes. Many neighbors said that's too much.
Developers brought a scaled-back plan to the county Planning and Zoning Commission.
They planned to take out a shopping center and an apartment complex, and cut the project down to about 480 units. They want Founders Pond to contain no more than 5 units per acre, about 350 in all.
"If we're convinced there's no way to try and make that work, then our options are we can file an appeal before this commission, but we only have 30 days to do that or we can take this thing to court and fight it out in court," says Developer Zan Thompson.
Sonia Baulkcom says she's lived in the Bass Road community for 75 years. She says she doesn't mind change, but thinks the project development is too big.
"I don't mind them developing that into some single family dwellings, and maybe even some of the smaller lots in some of the existing lots, but I just don't want to open it up into that kind of development," says Baulkcom.
Bibb County Commissioner Elmo Richardson says homeowners are not likely to appeal after Monday's meeting.
More than 100 people attended the Planning and Zoning Committee meeting.
