Cobb Commission approves land swap to protect Dobbins Air Reserve Base, mainly from themselves

After initially terminating a land swap agreement with a developer, which risked introducing condos into the accident potential zone of Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Cobb County Commissioners have now approved the land swap.

Decisions regarding the Dobbins accident potential zone, which is prone to aircraft crashes during takeoff and landing, raised concerns about the safety and economics of Dobbins and the community after a controversial vote in 2021, by three members of the commission, which placed it in jeopardy.

The recent unanimous 5-0 vote signifies the exchange of county-owned land off Terrell Mill Road with Venture Properties’ property on Leland Drive, both parcels being just under five acres.

The commission terminated the initial swap deal in September 2023 after unsuccessful negotiations between Venture and the county on access to the property off Terrell Mill Road. The new agreement includes Venture’s commitment to contribute $325,795 for a deceleration lane along Terrell Mill Road, alongside donating the necessary land for the lane.

Dobbins accident potential zone, prone to aircraft crashes during takeoff and landing, raised concerns about the safety of Dobbins and the community after a controversial vote by three members of the commission placed it in jeopardy.

In May 2021, Chair Lisa Cupid and two other commissioners voted, in a party line split, to permit Venture’s rezoning request for 38 condos on the Leland Drive property— which is located within the base’s accident zone.

While the three Democrats on the board approved the rezoning, the two Republicans, JoAnn Birrell and Keli Gambrill, opposed it, pointing to the jeopardy the trio had placed Dobbins in with their ill-informed vote.

Cupid and her two fellow commissioners approved the rezoning over objections from Dobbins, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, and business and community leaders, among others.

Congressional leaders like Senator Raphael Warnock tried to assist Cupid in seeing the error of her ways in placing Dobbins in danger, but she rebuffed him. The Cobb County Planning Commission had earlier voted to deny the rezoning, but like others who tried to help Cupid understand what she failed to grasp – injury to Dobbins – Cupid ignored the recommendations of the county staff.

Cupid’s willingness to put Dobbins in jeopardy sparked a public backlash, with many accusing her of jeopardizing the base during potential future Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) reviews. Additionally, the Department of Defense discourages residential development in this area, a fact that should have been known to the three commissioners before approving residential development there.

Now, with the approved land swap, Venture will build elsewhere.

Notwithstanding the disaster zone on the Leland Drive property remaining a restricted area, Cobb Department of Transportation says it plans to construct a satellite facility there. This will cost taxpayers over $3 million and still remains in the disaster zone, an area that is still impactful to Dobbins. 

The commission moved to terminate the initial swap deal in September 2023 after unsuccessful negotiations between Venture and the county on access to the property off Terrell Mill Road. The new agreement includes Venture’s commitment to contribute $325,795 for a deceleration lane along Terrell Mill Road, alongside donating the necessary land for the lane.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, one of the commissioners who voted against allowing a developer to build in the accident zone, expressed relief at the resolution, emphasizing the importance of supporting Dobbins and avoiding development in areas connected to the base’s safety. Birrell said, “You never want to get in the (accident zone) or flight path or any areas connected to the base that would put anyone in danger. I’m just glad that it’s finally resolved for the good of the community and our military.”

Here’s a breakdown of the key events and issues.

Initial Vote in May 2021: In May 2021, Cupid and the Cobb County Commission voted 3-2 along party lines to approve a rezoning request that would allow a condominium development in the accident potential zone of Dobbins Air Reserve Base. Democrats Lisa Cupid, Jerica Richardson, and Monique Sheffield voted in favor, while critics, including the Cobb Chamber, business leaders and federal elected officials, raised concerns about the potential impact on the base during future Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) reviews. The accident zone is an area near the base’s runway where crashes are more likely to occur during takeoff and landing, and Department of Defense guidelines discourage residential development in this area.

Land Swap Agreement: In January 2022, Cupid came up with yet another flawed idea to place on top of her original flawed idea. The commission approved a land swap agreement with the developer, Venture Communities. Under this agreement, the county would acquire a parcel located in the base’s accident potential zone, which Venture Communities had planned to develop into 38 condominiums. In exchange, Venture Communities was supposed to receive a portion of county-owned property located outside of the accident zone.

Controversy Continues: Although the land swap was initially seen as a resolution to the controversy, it resurfaced when the commission voted 4-1 (with Republican Commissioner Keli Gambrill opposed) to terminate the agreement. This decision has raised concerns about the potential impact on the base’s future and its vulnerability to encroachment from nearby development.

Base’s Position: During a meeting involving Dobbins officials, county officials, and business leaders, Col. Michael Parks of the 94th Airlift Wing emphasized that the base is well-prepared for the military’s future needs. However, he highlighted that encroachment—development around the base (AKA, Cupid’s brainchild)—remains a significant threat to its viability. While there were no discussions about changing the base’s mission, issues could arise if encroachment limits the base’s ability to use its airfield, potentially becoming problematic for the Department of Defense. The termination of the land swap agreement reignited concerns about the balance between development interests and the need to protect the integrity and operational capacity of military installations like Dobbins Air Reserve Base.