Council approves 30.21‑acre rezoning at Highway 41; other rezoning fails and a Dairy Queen variance is granted

Barnesville’s planning and zoning actions in 2023 included a contested rezoning approval, a failed rezoning attempt and a building setback variance for a downtown restaurant.

At the Jan. 9 meeting Council approved Ordinance No. 592 to rezone 30.21 acres at the southwest corner of Highway 41 and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway for Twiggs Pleasure LLC. The motion carried 4–1, with Councilmember Joseph Sims opposing. Councilmembers spoke about land‑use expectations and conditions tied to the rezoning before the vote.

In contrast, a rezoning request for 24.97 acres at the National Guard Armory (Ordinance No. 596) failed on March 6 after a 2–3 vote. Two councilmembers supported the change while three opposed; the failure also rendered a related variance moot. The record shows councilmembers raised concerns about project scope and consistency with zoning and neighborhood impacts.

On Dec. 4 Council granted a variance for Dairy Queen (Application #23‑10‑01) to reduce the front yard setback from 30 to 3 feet so the restaurant could build a covered dining patio at 119 Atlanta Street. Councilmembers asked about liability and safety before approving the variance unanimously (Resolution R2023‑0013). The same meeting also adopted a new Mobile Food Service Unit ordinance and set a permit fee.

Taken together the actions show the council balancing downtown economic activity and small‑business requests against neighborhood compatibility and larger development proposals that drew divided votes.