SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — South Fulton leaders say a proposed overhaul of the city’s gas station ordinance is needed to attract major developers, but many homeowners say the changes could come at the expense of neighborhood protections.
City council members are expected to hear the first of at least two rounds of public comment Tuesday night as residents voice concerns over revisions to rules that currently limit where gas stations can be built.
Under the existing ordinance, gas stations cannot be constructed within a three-mile radius of one another and must be at least 1,000 feet from residential communities.
Several homeowners told Channel 2 Action News they oppose loosening those restrictions, saying they already feel pressure from proposed data centers and fear additional commercial development.
“No one is raising their hands for additional gas stations,” said South Fulton homeowner Nydia Murray.
Another resident, Peni Webster-Lewis, said the proposed changes weaken safeguards already in place.
“It stripped all of the protections that were in the original ordinance,” Webster-Lewis said.
Councilwoman Helen Willis said the city is not trying to oversaturate South Fulton with gas stations but believes updates are necessary to support economic growth. She said limitations in the current ordinance have stalled potential deals with major retailers, including Costco and Kroger, that include gas service centers.
The proposed ordinance would reduce the required distance between gas stations but would require each project to seek approval through a special-use permit and review by a city committee.
It would also require existing gas stations to upgrade older pumps with modern equipment that meets updated environmental and safety standards. Stations built near residential areas would be
required to install buffer zones between businesses and nearby homes.
Channel 2 Action News previously covered community protests over a proposed gas station along Stonewall Tell Road last summer. The developer later withdrew its application for that site.
Some residents say they are not opposed to development but worry about the impact on local businesses.
“I would be a proponent of those gas stations coming — but not at the cost of pushing out our mom-and-pop businesses,” Murray said.
Homeowners have filed a notice of intent to sue over the proposed ordinance changes. City council members must hear at least two public comment sessions before taking a final vote.
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