Politics & Government
Mt. Bethel High School Zoning Approved
The application for a special land use permit passed by a 3-0 vote.
The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday granted a special land use permit for Mt. Bethel Christian Academy to create a high school complex in East Cobb.
By a 3-0 vote, the commission approved the school's application to convert the Shirley Blumenthal Park property at the northwest corner of Post Oak Tritt Road and Holly Springs Road.
Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee was absent for the vote, and East Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott recused himself. He is a member of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, which operates the academy, and his son is a student there.
Ott left the board meeting room during the brief discussion, which was followed by "yes" votes from commissioners Lisa Cupid, Helen Goreham and JoAnn Birrell of Northeast Cobb, whose district includes the Blumenthal property.
The 33-acre tract, currently owned by the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, has been under contract to Mt. Bethel pending the special land use permit.
The Christian academy currently enrolls around 500 students from kindergarten through the eighth grade.
"This is a good use for this property, and a good use for the area," Birrell said.
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- Mt. Bethel Zoning Gets Initial OK
- Mt. Bethel UMC to Buy Blumenthal Park
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She held a town hall meeting last month to present the Mt. Bethel request to the public, which generated some minor opposition from residents concerned about extra traffic.
Mt. Bethel presented a traffic study that indicated there would be no discernible traffic increase, and that shuttle buses are planned to transport students between the high school site and the existing academy location on Lower Roswell Road.
County officials said more traffic would result if the land were developed under its current low-density residential R-20 category.
Mt. Bethel is phasing in enrollment over four years, starting with around 40 9th graders in the fall of 2014.
The Cobb Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval earlier this month.
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