- Target:
- Shakerag neighborhood, John's Creek GA
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- saveshakerag.org
The proposed rezoning of Embry Farms with 1/4-acre lots threatens to urbanize Johns Creek's last rural area - a region rich in Cherokee heritage and designated for preservation in the 2018 Comprehensive Plan.
If approved as submitted, this proposal may harm all stakeholders:
- The City risks infrastructure strain and diminished public trust
- The Applicant risks a failed sales strategy due to impractical pricing and congestion
- The Community risks decreased property values, increased traffic, and erosion of Shakerag's rural identity
The Embry Farms site has significant topographical challenges that limit responsible development:
- Minimal road frontage
- Steep slopes and large floodplains
- Over 73% of the land lies within the protected Chattahoochee River Corridor
- For decades, the Embry family used this parcel as a private farm because of these environmental constraints. Any future development must respect these limitations.
We believe that:
- The 2018 Comprehensive Plan clearly reduced allowable density in Shakerag to 1 unit per net acre or less
- CUP zoning is being improperly used to bypass AG-1 1-acre minimum standards
- The 2019 Ashton Woods denial should serve as binding precedent
- Critical zoning provisions are being misinterpreted as merely "best practices" rather than enforceable requirements
We respectfully ask the City Council to:
- Follow the Planning Commission's recommendation to reject the proposal
- Review legal standards from the Georgia Planning Act, 2018 Comprehensive Plan, and Zoning Ordinance
- Consider the 2019 Ashton Woods denial as binding precedent
- Recognize the risk of setting a precedent that could erode the entire Shakerag Character Area
This is not anti-development. We support responsible growth that respects our community's character and environmental constraints.
We, the undersigned residents and stakeholders of John's Creek, hereby petition the City to deny the rezoning application (RZ-24-0010) for Embry Farm, which seeks to develop 200 homes on the historically significant 204-acre property in the Shakerag Character Area. This proposal violates established land use policies and undermines the long-term vision for our community.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Save Shakerag 2025 petition to Shakerag neighborhood, John's Creek GA was written by Maryam malik and is in the category City & Town Planning at GoPetition.