Are you concerned about responsible development?

In 2008, the corner of Stoney Point Road and Peachtree Parkway was zoned CBD (ZA3473) with numerous conditions imposed to protect nearby residential neighborhoods from a small 3600-square- foot carwash on a 4.15-acre site with 20 parking spaces.  The conditions included the retention of green open space that covered approximately 50 percent of the site and a 50-foot landscape strip (with a 5-foot berm) to completely buffer the carwash from nearby residences and commuters along Stoney Point Road and Peachtree Parkway. These conditions represent a covenant between the Forsyth County Commissioners and the residents of Forsyth County to protect their interests from irresponsible developers. Now a Body Shop developer has filed a zoning condition amendment (AZ140021) seeking to break that covenant in order to develop a Big Box 32,750-square-foot body shop (aka collision center) with approximately 43 bays, 20 roll-up doors and 155 parking spaces (including parking spaces for wrecked vehicles). The Body Shop would be over 30 feet high. This development would eliminate both the green open space condition and the condition for the 50-foot landscaped buffer of ZA3473. This type of commercial development, could lower residential property values in the area (shrinking the tax base) and ruin the residential character of this area. Do we want a huge body shop to be the focal point on Peachtree Parkway as we take our kids to and from the various schools, churches and neighborhoods in this area?

Please urge your commissioners and state legislators to vote against approval of AZ140021. The original protective conditions of ZA3473 and the destructive amendments to those conditions (proposed by AZ140021) can be reviewed on the county website at

estatus.forsythco.com/application.aspx?App=AZ140021&ID=218195.

Dana Karshchner

Cumming