FLOWERY BRANCH -- The Flowery Branch City Council has voted to annex four properties that were recently purchased by a nearby rock quarry into the city and rezone them for industry.
The quarry, operated by Vulcan Materials Company, sits on a plot of land between Friendship Road, Blackjack Road and Swansey Road on the southern edge of the city. Vulcan representatives have said that they are purchasing the properties, which extend the quarry's land out to Hog Mountain Road, to expand their buffer infrastructure between the quarry and the nearby residential and agricultural land.
The city council held a first reading and public hearing on the annexation and rezoning at its meeting on September 21 and no citizens expressed opposition to the request, with several speaking in favor of the move. At that meeting, Vulcan land manager for the quarry Richard Hall told the council that the company was aware of the impact that their business could potentially have on nearby residents.
"We're also very mindful that in order for our operation to be as effective and efficient as it can be that we need to maintain a good relationship with the surrounding land owners," Hall said.
The council approved the annexation and rezoning unanimously at it's Thursday meeting and also awarded all four properties with a conditional use permit for conducting quarry operations.
