Floyd County To Decide on Rome Speedway Rezoning

The Floyd County Commission is slated to decide Tuesday on a proposed rezoning of 120 acres off Chulio Road that contains the Rome Motor Speedway.

Plans are to change the zoning from Suburban Residential to Heavy Industrial use. They face significant opposition from nearby neighbors but have the backing of the Rome-Floyd Development Authority.

There’s no definitive plan for the site yet.

The Rome-Floyd Planning Commission and the planning department staff both recommended denial, but with a provision that would allow the proposal to come back as soon as there is a specific use. The RFCDA has said there’s a need for large vacant sites to market to potential industries.

Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the application following a public hearing. It’s set for the board’s 6 p.m. meeting at the County Administration Building, 12 E. Fourth Ave.

A premeeting caucus that starts at 4 p.m. also is open to the public for an update on the county’s facilities. The board then plans to go into a closed session to discuss property acquisition, litigation, and personnel.

Among the other items on the regular meeting agenda are several proposed public safety acquisitions.

The Floyd County Jail is asking to use $45,610 for a Wi-Fi project by the sole responsive bidder, Rome-based Logical Systems Inc. The contract would be funded with inmate boarding fees.

The Public Works Department wants to install a $4,400 solar-powered radar sign on Sproull Road using fines collected via the RedSpeed cameras set up at school zones. There are school bus stops along that stretch of road and Police Chief Mark Wallace supports the project.

The Floyd County Police Department is asking permission to accept a grant that would pay for an electronics detection K-9 valued at $20,000 and include $3,000 for the dog’s future expenses.

Other spending proposals up for consideration Tuesday include $101,455 for field wall pads at AdventHealth Stadium to be funded through the 2017 SPLOST, and a $484,512 match from the county water department that is required to accept a $1.9 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.