A July 25 vote by the Fairburn City Council may add more trucks to the roadways around Interstate 85 but it will also bring in approximately $950,000 per year in local tax revenues. The council unanimously approved a rezoning request by Shugart Farms Industrial, LLC that will eventually locate 2.81 million square feet of warehouse space on nearly 169 acres on Bohannon Road and I-85.
Information supplied by Fairburn shows the 168.74-acre site for Shugart Farms Lake Park currently consisting of vacant wooded areas, agricultural land and an existing lake. The property is bordered by I-85 to the south and Bohannon Road to the west, with Ga. Highway 74 a short distance to the east.
Already approved as a Development of Regional Impact (DRI), plans show 2.81 million square feet at build-out with an estimated value of $125 million and estimated annual local tax revenues of $950,000.
The project at build-out would have six buildings. The largest would total approximately 1.3 million square feet, with others approximating 700,000 square feet, 425,000 square feet, 350,000 square feet and two smaller buildings at approximately 30,000 square feet each.
Traffic to and from the warehouse development would access I-85 by way of Oakley Industrial Boulevard and onto Hwy. 74 or by going north on Bohannon for approximately 2,000 feet then turning immediately onto Hwy. 74 and back down to I-85.
The DRI document shows 68 percent impervious surface and 320 vehicle trips per day.
The plan also includes Shugart’s agreement to contribute up to $280,000 for roadway improvements on Bohannon Road.
The project is consistent with the city’s Comprehensive Plan and, at build-out, is expected to bring hundreds of jobs to the city, according to city documents.
Though no prospects were announced for the project, the DRI document noted an estimated project completion date of December 2014.
Once developed, the Shugart Farms Lake Park development will be one of several relatively new Fairburn warehouse distribution facilities adjacent to I-85 that already total 2.65 million square feet.
The Electrolux Corp. on May 13 located in an 800,000 square-foot distribution center adjacent to I-85 at Ga. Highway 92 just north of Oakley Industrial Boulevard and is currently using 600,000 square feet of warehouse space.
That followed the opening of the 1.2 million square-foot Clorox Corp. distribution center earlier this year and one by the Smucker’s company two years ago totaling 850,000 square feet, both of which are located off Oakley Industrial Boulevard on the west side of Ga. Highway 74.
