Mrs. Wylene Tritt has lived at the 53.7 acre Tritt property next to East Cobb Park since 1950. She and her late husband, Norris Wilson Tritt, raised three children there. (She is the aunt of country music singer Travis Tritt.)
We all appreciate how Mrs. Tritt has cared for the land over the years.
The land is bounded on the west by Sewell Mill Creek, which makes a nearly 90 degree curve west before turning south again. The land is in two parcels, the first more-or-less rectangular, and containing about 40 acres where Mrs. Tritt's house sits, and the other shaped like a backwards capital "L", bounded by the creek. 7 acres of the land lies in the flood plain.
There are two smaller creeks that run across the land into Sewell Mill Creek. The first is visible from Roswell Rd, and has been lined with stones. There is a larger creek arising in the Hidden Hollow subdivision to the south of the Tritt property, and flowing through the woods into Sewell Mill Creek near the back of East Cobb Park.
There is a sewer easement on the Tritt property, running along the east side of the creek, with raised concrete manholes every 100 to 150 ft. There is also a permanent easement to connect East Cobb and Fullers Park - when you cross the bridge at East Cobb Park, and follow the trail to Fullers Park, you are on Mrs. Tritt's land for a couple hundred feet.
The adjoining properties are, going counter-clockwise, East Cobb Park, Fullers Park, Hidden Hollow subdivision, Robinson Walk subdivision, Wyntergreen subdivision, and Glenside subdivision. Across Roswell Rd, there are some low-rise office buildings, a day care on the corner of Providence Rd., and the Wellstar development.
2006 and 2008 Park Bonds
In 2006, and again in 2008, Cobb County voters approved a $40 million park bond each year to allow the county to borrow money and buy park land. You can read about it here. In both rounds, a handful of properties in the county were considered "top tier" land that the county should try to acquire, and the Tritt property was one of these top tier properties in both rounds. Unfortunately, it was the only top tier property that was not purchased by the county in both rounds.
Update 8/26/2013 (thanks to John Fabbrini for this info): In 2008, Cobb County voters approved a $40 million park bond to allow the county to borrow money and buy park land. However, no park land was purchased from the 2008 Park Bond and no money was ever borrowed by Cobb County. The Board did not believe, that with the tax base falling, it could repay the 2008 Park Bond with the funding source approved by the voters and the Board was not going to raise property taxes to repay the bond.
There may have been several reasons why the Tritt property was not purchased for park land:
Certainly, Mrs. Tritt has always maintained that she would like to see her land become a park.
Isakson Living
Earlier this year, Mrs. Tritt signed a contract with Isakson Living to sell her land, contingent on Isakson Living getting their re-zoning application approved. In other words, the deal falls apart if Isakson Living fails to get the re-zoning approved.
Future?
If the Isakson Living re-zoning application is denied, they may try to design something smaller and less dense (which would have a better chance of getting approved), and possibly renegotiate with Mrs. Tritt.
The land belongs to Mrs. Tritt, and she can sell it to whomever she pleases. The land is in the Low Density Residential (LDR) land use category, which limits the possible ways it can be rezoned. For example, it cannot be rezoned commercial, or office building. It is is currently zoned R-20, which means no more than 2 homes per acre can be built. However, LDR allows for rezoning to R-15 (3 houses per acre) or RA-5 (5 units per acre, including the possibility of duplexes).
The recent trend among subdivision developers is to build very large homes on very small lots. I am told this is the only way they can make money in a tough economy. Of course, big houses on small lots require clear-cutting the trees.
Options?
Many residents of East Cobb have an emotional attachment to the Tritt property. Many were led to believe it would one day be part of East Cobb Park. I think the property is beautiful. It is great to see such a large patch of woods in the middle of the suburbs.
The county does not have the money to buy the land, nor do they have the authority to do so. That would require Cobb County voters to approve another park bond referendum; that may be feasible now that the economy is improving. Another possibility is a group of private citizens pooling their money to buy the land. All of this depends upon Mrs. Tritt being willing to sell the land at a reasonable price.
The land could also be divided, with some going to development, and some to the park.
This is just my opinion, but if Isakson Living could donate a significant part of the land to the park, and build a MUCH smaller retirement community (no more than 2 stories over parking, and with no more than 5 units per acre), it might be the best possible option.
We all appreciate how Mrs. Tritt has cared for the land over the years.
The land is bounded on the west by Sewell Mill Creek, which makes a nearly 90 degree curve west before turning south again. The land is in two parcels, the first more-or-less rectangular, and containing about 40 acres where Mrs. Tritt's house sits, and the other shaped like a backwards capital "L", bounded by the creek. 7 acres of the land lies in the flood plain.
There are two smaller creeks that run across the land into Sewell Mill Creek. The first is visible from Roswell Rd, and has been lined with stones. There is a larger creek arising in the Hidden Hollow subdivision to the south of the Tritt property, and flowing through the woods into Sewell Mill Creek near the back of East Cobb Park.
There is a sewer easement on the Tritt property, running along the east side of the creek, with raised concrete manholes every 100 to 150 ft. There is also a permanent easement to connect East Cobb and Fullers Park - when you cross the bridge at East Cobb Park, and follow the trail to Fullers Park, you are on Mrs. Tritt's land for a couple hundred feet.
The adjoining properties are, going counter-clockwise, East Cobb Park, Fullers Park, Hidden Hollow subdivision, Robinson Walk subdivision, Wyntergreen subdivision, and Glenside subdivision. Across Roswell Rd, there are some low-rise office buildings, a day care on the corner of Providence Rd., and the Wellstar development.
2006 and 2008 Park Bonds
In 2006, and again in 2008, Cobb County voters approved a $40 million park bond each year to allow the county to borrow money and buy park land. You can read about it here. In both rounds, a handful of properties in the county were considered "top tier" land that the county should try to acquire, and the Tritt property was one of these top tier properties in both rounds. Unfortunately, it was the only top tier property that was not purchased by the county in both rounds.
Update 8/26/2013 (thanks to John Fabbrini for this info): In 2008, Cobb County voters approved a $40 million park bond to allow the county to borrow money and buy park land. However, no park land was purchased from the 2008 Park Bond and no money was ever borrowed by Cobb County. The Board did not believe, that with the tax base falling, it could repay the 2008 Park Bond with the funding source approved by the voters and the Board was not going to raise property taxes to repay the bond.
There may have been several reasons why the Tritt property was not purchased for park land:
- The $40 million in each round was fought over between all areas of the county, including the incorporated cities.
- Mrs. Tritt may have wanted more for her land than the county was willing or able to pay.
- It was difficult to justify purchasing the Tritt land for park, when it adjoined two existing parks, East Cobb and Fullers.
Certainly, Mrs. Tritt has always maintained that she would like to see her land become a park.
Isakson Living
Earlier this year, Mrs. Tritt signed a contract with Isakson Living to sell her land, contingent on Isakson Living getting their re-zoning application approved. In other words, the deal falls apart if Isakson Living fails to get the re-zoning approved.
Future?
If the Isakson Living re-zoning application is denied, they may try to design something smaller and less dense (which would have a better chance of getting approved), and possibly renegotiate with Mrs. Tritt.
The land belongs to Mrs. Tritt, and she can sell it to whomever she pleases. The land is in the Low Density Residential (LDR) land use category, which limits the possible ways it can be rezoned. For example, it cannot be rezoned commercial, or office building. It is is currently zoned R-20, which means no more than 2 homes per acre can be built. However, LDR allows for rezoning to R-15 (3 houses per acre) or RA-5 (5 units per acre, including the possibility of duplexes).
The recent trend among subdivision developers is to build very large homes on very small lots. I am told this is the only way they can make money in a tough economy. Of course, big houses on small lots require clear-cutting the trees.
Options?
Many residents of East Cobb have an emotional attachment to the Tritt property. Many were led to believe it would one day be part of East Cobb Park. I think the property is beautiful. It is great to see such a large patch of woods in the middle of the suburbs.
The county does not have the money to buy the land, nor do they have the authority to do so. That would require Cobb County voters to approve another park bond referendum; that may be feasible now that the economy is improving. Another possibility is a group of private citizens pooling their money to buy the land. All of this depends upon Mrs. Tritt being willing to sell the land at a reasonable price.
The land could also be divided, with some going to development, and some to the park.
This is just my opinion, but if Isakson Living could donate a significant part of the land to the park, and build a MUCH smaller retirement community (no more than 2 stories over parking, and with no more than 5 units per acre), it might be the best possible option.