STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. — Homeowners near a new apartment development along the Henry-Clayton county line say construction crews worked until nearly midnight last week, despite signs stating work must stop by 7:30 p.m.
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Residents say the late-night construction brought bright lights and noise into their neighborhood, keeping some families awake.
“The lights were so bright,” homeowner Kathy Walker said.
Homeowner Charleane Woodruff said the construction could be heard from inside her house.
“You can hear it inside the house,” Woodruff said. “And it’s difficult for the children to be able to sleep.”
The construction is part of a multilevel apartment development near the border of Henry and Clayton counties.
“Our privacy and peace and enjoyment of our property has been totally invaded,” Woodruff said.
Residents said they contacted the city of Stockbridge after crews continued working for hours beyond the posted 7:30 p.m. cutoff. The city manager later issued a stop-work order.
“Emotionally, it’s been very overwhelming,” Walker said.
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Capital City Real Estate, the developer, apologized to residents for the disruption.
In an email to residents, the developer said a concrete delivery arrived later than scheduled and the concrete took longer than expected to set, extending finishing work into the evening.
Channel 2 Action News first reported on the homeowners’ concerns in March, when residents said land-clearing work encroached on their properties.
Homeowners say they have since gone back and forth with the developer over significant changes to the scope of the project.
“This is not our first time reaching out to the city about violations that City Capital has had over this construction,” Walker said.
Residents also say an outdated ordinance allowed the developer to expand the project without providing public notice after the site sat dormant for four years.
“And now we’re stuck with feeling as if no one wants to fix the problems,” Walker said.
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Stockbridge recently adopted a policy requiring homeowners to receive notification before development resumes on dormant projects.
Residents say they support the new policy but believe it does little for homeowners already affected by the current development.
“But we told them we need something to help us now, the ones who have been affected,” Woodruff said.
The developer said its development and construction teams met with the city to discuss the incident and corrective measures.
The company said it is revising its concrete placement procedures, including reducing pour sizes, scheduling deliveries and pours earlier in the day and adjusting the concrete mix when appropriate to shorten setting times.