Grovetown neighbors fight back against potential rezoning request
GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Grovetown is growing, but some say it may be too fast.
Neighbors who live in Grimaud Place, off of Columbia Road near Appling-Harlem Highway, are speaking out against a request to rezone the area.
Neighbors in this rural Grovetown community are afraid of a potential rezoning request for a business to add employees and grow within this neighborhood.
“Taking a quiet rural neighborhood that’s been that way for a while and seeing it become ruined with noise and traffic,” said Dale White.
Most residents in Grimaud Place have been here since the 1990s, raising families, and some even have grandkids.
When the Augusta Radio Fellowship Institute radio station and business offices moved in in 2001, they say more traffic comes through their neighborhood which is a concern.
Larry Wooten said: “Cars coming through here at 40 miles per hour and you got five-year-olds on a bike. Kids only see one thing. It’s just dangerous and it’s going to get worse if they allow this to happen.”
They tried rezoning in 2005, but neighbors spoke out and stopped it then.
Now, another rezoning request will bring the property into compliance and allows for expansion, which includes allowing there to be 10 employees. From the showing of ten neighbors who met with us, the neighborhood isn’t happy with this request.
Daryl Stewart said: “We don’t want an S1 start. They want to build a five-office space building with a bathroom and a conference room.”
Neighbors feel like this process has been forced.
Mark Kaume said: “That’s the way we feel. It feels like it’s being shoved down our throats.”
Another concern is if this request is granted, what’s stopping the owner from asking for more?
Stewart said: “There’s nothing that stops them from asking for another S1. It can just keep going on and on and on. And that’s why we want to stop it now.”
The Columbia County Planning Commission has the recommendation to approve Thursday.
If this happens, it will be up to the full commission to approve on May 2. We reached out to the applicant, Mark Barinowski, he says he is not interested in commenting on the rezoning request.
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