Dalton City Council Rejects Zoning Change
They were there for the second reading of a proposed zoning change for property on West Walnut Avenue.
Residents were trying to stop plans for a dental clinic in a residential area.
If you’ve driving east on Walnut avenue from I-75, you’ll pass the big shopping areas, restaurants and car dealerships, before getting to a wooded residential area.
It’s here, between East Morton drive and West Lakeshore Drive that Doctor Panag Soni wanted to build an orthodontic clinic on 2 and a half acres.
The city would have to change the zoning from low-density residential to limited use commercial.
TY ROSS, DALTON CITY ADMINISTRATOR "There’s lots of businesses on Walnut avenue, but there’s lots of residential houses,too. Ant they’re in different sections…this has come up before."
An outcry from neighbors resulted in a recommendation to deny from the Dalton-Whitfield Planning commission.
And Dr Soni, a longtime Dalton resident, spent months planning the project—but things have changed. .
DR. PARAG SONI, ORTHODONTIST "My thought is, you know I had an initial vision for this property…thought I’d do something beautiful for the city. I live and work less than a block away from this property, both my home and my current office. But It seems like the citizens of Dalton do not want this property being rezoned commercial."
TY ROSS "Its come up before..it’s come up again now. And so now this particular mayor and council will weight in on the subject."
The idea found early support from those who think limited commercial development is the best use of the property.
But Dr. Soni says he’ll look elsewhere for a site for his office.
DR. SONI "My plan now is to sell this property..I want to listen to what the people of Dalton want and what they believe.
My plan is not to proceed further with the rezoning of this property."
Leave a Reply