In an effort to make the Stanton Springs industrial park more attractive and competitive, the Newton County Board of Commissioners voted to allow more types of businesses to be located there.
Located at Interstate 20 interchange with U.S. Highway 278, exit 101, Stanton Springs is designed to be a multi-use commercial, light manufacturing, office and residential development.
Because of the emphasis on commercial and office uses, the Stanton Springs zoning ordinance has been updated to allow data and customer service call centers, electronics and entertainment stores, farmers’ markets, flower shops, health clubs, hotels and motels and personal care homes. The BOC approved a resolution changing the ordinance at its June 15 meeting.
"We realized a few uses had been overlooked within the commercial district, including hotel and motel," said Paul Michael, a vice president with the Technology Park/Atlanta Realty Services, the development’s planner and marketer. "Stanton Springs is right at the interchange and we had intended everything within that corridor to be commercial and retail."Michael could not say which business had looked at the area, but he said the changes were made to be "more proactive, rather than reactive."
In addition to the above changes, libraries, parking lots, private parks, professional offices and private schools can now be located in the commercial area. Previously they were only allowed in the business park specified area.
Land was first purchased for the 1,620 acre-development in 1999 and the first phase of its main parkway was started in 2006; however, the area had remained vacant to date.
Stanton Springs is a project of the Joint Development Authority which includes Newton, Jasper, Morgan and Walton counties. It was named for the Stanton family, who formerly owned much of the land that comprises the 1,600 acre site. It was designed to be the major economic driver for the four-county JDA area.
According to a December 2007 story in The Covington News, developers hope the site will attract hundreds of well-paying high-tech jobs in addition to creating thousands of jobs in the service industry.
Michael said the business and technology parks in Metro Atlanta have seen more activity recently, but the effects of the recession are still strongly felt. For more information visit about the development visit stantonsprings.com.
