CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Homeowners in Clayton County say a new apartment development is being built just steps from their backyards, and they claim they were never notified the project was approved.
The more than 20-acre development sits across the county line in Henry County and was approved by the city of Stockbridge. City leaders say they were not required to notify nearby Clayton County residents because the project falls outside their jurisdiction.
Standing near the property line, Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln observed how close the construction comes to neighboring homes. Just a few steps separate Clayton County from Henry County, where crews have already cleared large swaths of land.
“It was a natural woodline buffer,” homeowner Charlene Woodruff said, pointing to where trees once stood behind her home.
That buffer is now gone, replaced by acres of leveled land slated for an apartment complex.
“We did not get any notice because we live in Clayton County,” Woodruff said.
Woodruff and her neighbors say they were unaware the project had been approved by Stockbridge officials. She said she first learned of the development when trees began coming down.
“I came out today, and I just started crying. I couldn’t believe that they could come this close,” she said.
Woodruff said there was a zoning meeting in 2022, but homeowners were later told the development had stalled.
Neighbors say they are frustrated by what they describe as a lack of transparency and accountability from city leaders.
“It was very disheartening,” another resident said.
Stockbridge Councilman Elton Alexander appeared to address the issue in a social media post, writing that those who want “a vote and voice on these developments” need to live within the city. He added that city leaders’ “fiduciary responsibility” is to Stockbridge voters.
Alexander told Lincoln his statement in that social media post was taken out of context.
“The statement was in response to how decisions are made in Stockbridge not whether to inform surrounding citizens. As the city indicated we did inform the residents in the area and do so every time regardless of whether they are in the city or not. Indeed, our responsibility is to Stockbridge residents on every decision we make but we inform residents in the surrounding area every time no matter whether they live in the city or not,” Alexander wrote.
Homeowners say they understand they live outside city limits, but argue the development directly affects them. They say what was once a quiet, wooded area is being transformed into a large complex with parking, lighting and hundreds of units.
“We were just asking them to provide us with the 25-feet buffer, which is their minimum, and they provided us with no natural buffer. There’s nothing here,” one resident said.
“It makes us feel that we don’t count as citizens,” Woodruff added. “Yes, we pay our taxes to Clayton County, but we are neighbors to Stockbridge.”
The city issued this response to the homeowners’ concerns:
The City of Stockbridge is committed to public engagement. Regarding the development in question, the City took the necessary and legal steps required by law. Our team also went beyond the mandatory process and engaged all parties involved, including non-city and non-county residents. We do value input and we are intentional about the progress of our growing community. We look forward to continued engagement.
— The city of Stockbridge
Mayor Pro Tem Elton Alexander told Lincoln all public hearings were conducted in accordance with the law. He said the last public meeting was in 2023, and sometimes these projects take a long time to get started after the initial approval.
Homeowners say the developer has indicated plans to install a new buffer, but residents worry it will not replace the mature trees that once separated their homes from the property.
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