Jackson Park rezoning withdrawn

The request for the proposed Jackson Park development was on the agenda for this week’s meeting of the Jackson County Planning Commission. However, county staff reports that the request has been withdrawn.

There had been a good bit of criticism about the proposal by Forestar Real Estate Group for a zoning change that would have allowed the development of a 701-acre industrial park along Hwy. 129, starting 1.3 miles north of the Athens-Clarke County line at Mary Collier Road. The property is a large tract of forestland across from South Jackson Elementary School.

Several area residents have already opposed the project and have spoken out against the plans. Traffic volume, strains on infrastructure and threats to the air and water quality are among the concerns some South Jackson residents have about the proposed.

The Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center has also said the project would “not be in the best interest” of the region and state. According to the Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center, the proposed development conflicts with the county’s future land use map which designates the area as “rural places.”