Rome-Floyd County Planning Commission & Floyd County Commission,

The Rome Speedway has been an icon in the Spring Creek Community for many years. While we are sad to see it come to an end, we understand that development of the Hwy 411 corridor is inevitable. The Spring Creek Community has been home to many generations of families who have lived here their entire lives. The area is rich with farmland and more recently, newer homes on small acreage continue to be built in the area as homeowners seek larger lots for organic farming and small herd animals. These families, young and old call Spring Creek home and it is of the utmost importance to the members of our community to have clean air and water and the right to quiet enjoyment of their homes.

Several concerns can be found with the current application to rezone the parcels listed in application 224-08-03, hereby referred to as The Rome Speedway, from Suburban Residential (S-R) and Multifamily Residential (M-R) to Heavy Industrial (H-I). These concerns are outlined below:

Will the prospective development emit exhaust which can pollute our air?

Will the prospective development emit loud noises that can disturb our use of quiet enjoyment of our properties?

Will there be a rear entrance onto Chuilo Rd.? If so, what traffic improvements will be made given the already anticipated traffic increase on the road due to the Pleasant Valley Preserve Subdivision? Chulio Rd. is already a very curvy road with an abundance of deer and people travel at unsafe rates of speed down Chulio Rd. According to the Rome-Floyd Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2018, Chulio Rd. already receives approximately 3,720 vehicles daily, a number which is sure to have increased since the Comprehensive Plan was adopted.

Are there plans for adequate fire protection for this end of the county?

Will there be a buffer zone between the homes on Hillindale Dr. and Chulio Rd. that directly back up to the parcels?

The application notes that the current owner has not attempted to keep the current zoning in place and attempt to develop it. Is the current zoning the highest and best use of these parcels? Is there a reason the owner cannot attempt to sell or develop the parcels under current zoning? If not, is commercial zoning more appropriate to back up directly to a residential area?

Hwy 411 is the principal artery or “first impression gateway” into Rome from Metro Atlanta. It is our desire as taxpayers in the community to have single-family, mixed-use commercial, or commercial properties at the gateway to our beautiful city rather than heavy industrial on both sides of Hwy 411.

The Spring Creek community is also going to be impacted by The Braden Farm parcel already being rezoned to heavy industrial. Based on the lack of details on the application and the impact on immediately surrounding single-family homes, we ask that the commission reject the rezoning request of The Rome Speedway to heavy industrial in an effort to minimize the impact on our quiet enjoyment of our homes, the farm animals in close proximity, and our desire to breath clean air in our community.