Cobb County Board of Commissioners Meeting - November 20, 2025

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners convened on November 20, 2025, for a regular meeting that began with ceremonial recognitions and proceeded through a public hearing on the 2025 Code Amendment package. The meeting was dominated by intense debate regarding proposed stormwater utility fees and amendments to wastewater lift station regulations, alongside approvals for various administrative, public works, and water system agenda items.

Consent Calendar

• Routine Approvals: Approved amendments to Chapters 2 (Administration), 10 (Animals), 18 (Building Regulations), 22 (Cable/Video), 50 (General Cleanup & Noise), 54 (Fire Prevention), 102 (Solid Waste with modifications), 106 (Streets/Sidewalks), and 114 (Taxation).* *Note: Chapter 102 was modified to clarify definitions for residential service units including attached single-family dwellings.
• Add-ons: Added items to authorize applications for DHS grants for the 2026 FIFA World Cup public safety and mental health wellness act, and authorized a workers' compensation settlement.
• Pulls: Items regarding parking (Item 10), economic incentives (Item 17), and streetlight district rate adjustments (Item 7) were pulled from consent for further discussion or separate agenda placement.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Stormwater Utility Opponents:
  • Sabrina Maul: Expressed strong opposition, arguing the financial burden should fall on developers who created the problem through inadequate design, not taxpayers. Speaker stated it is "unfair" to impose the proposed fee on residents unaffected by the issues.
  • Richard Grome (East Cobb Civic Association): Expressed major concerns, citing a lack of master plan, historical failure to maintain systems, and the potential for legal actions against HOAs. Speaker recommended holding specific code sections to avoid saddling homeowners with expenses.
  • Lynn Marmelstein: Shared personal experience of $17,000 in damages due to uninstalled county drain, arguing the county should take responsibility rather than taxpayers.
  • Becky Smith: Expressed firm opposition, detailing $96,000 in past repairs and ongoing sinkhole issues. Stated that attempting to force homeowners to own repairs is politically convenient but wrong.
  • Richard Enzinger: Expressed firm opposition, labeling the proposal a "cost shifting scheme" and a "money grab" that lacks a comprehensive plan or inventory. Speaker warned the fee would be known as the "Eric Allen rain tax".
  • Joe H (Anonymous/General): Expressed distrust that funds would not be transferred to the general fund again, citing the history of transferring water funds.
  • Lisa Powell Huberty: Expressed full support for the animal shelter code changes, recognizing the strain on animal services.
  • Clay Fairno & Jennifer Ragsdale: Expressed full support for clarifying lift station regulations in the Lake Alatoona area.
  • Jim Beveridge: Expressed opposition to levying costs on homeowners for county-placed facilities they did not build.
  • Beth Chiltras (reading for Mary Clarice Hathaway): Read a statement from the Cobb County Republican Chair expressing opposition to the "rain tax" as unnecessary and burdensome.
  • Dave Morgan: As an unhoused resident, expressed opposition to the criminalization of homelessness and demanded immediate resources (waste disposal, sanitation, fire safety protocols) rather than enforcement.
  • Steve Cox: Expressed full support for the homeless community, advocating for the use of social workers instead of law enforcement for compliance issues.
  • Donna Court: Expressed support for updating the UDC and approving amendments, trusting staff despite not understanding every technical detail.
  • Dana Johnson (Cobb Chamber): Expressed support for the stormwater utility as a necessary investment for infrastructure and praised the extended appeals process. Asked for the implementation date to be delayed to January 1st to allow businesses to budget.
  • Tracy Stevenson: Expressed disagreement with the stormwater fee due to the lack of a plan but acknowledged the need for infrastructure improvements eventually.
  • Craig Harfoot: Expressed disappointment and opposition, noting the fee was arbitrary and targeted residential properties while ignoring large impervious surfaces like airports and commercial centers.
  • Janet Peters: Expressed opposition to the fee, noting it is a disproportionate burden on low-income residents, but thanked officers for arranging transportation to attend the meeting.

Discussion Items

• Stormwater Utility Fee ($4.75/ERU):

  • County Staff: Explained the fee is a restructuring of existing minor stormwater charges to create an isolated enterprise fund. Director Judy Jones stated the fee is derived from an analysis of impervious surface and is needed to fund current operations ($9.2 million) plus additional items like contracted pipe repairs and regional project savings.
  • Commissioner Burlen: Expressed strong opposition, stating that if water transfer funds ($11 million annually) had not been moved to the general fund since 1998, the money would be available for stormwater. Speaker stated they could not vote for a rate increase while transfers continue.
  • Commissioner Gambrel: Expressed concern that the fee does not address the root causes, citing unchecked development, failing commercial detention ponds, and the county's approval of development that displaces water onto existing properties. Speaker argued for enforcement against commercial properties with non-functional ponds.
  • Commissioner Allen: Expressed agreement with Gambrel's points but stated that "doing nothing" is not an option, viewing the fee as a necessary first step to begin addressing the crisis.
  • Outcome: The motion to establish the stormwater fee and related credit manual passed 3-2 (Commissioners Burlen and Gambrel opposed). A motion to delay implementation to 2027 was defeated.

• Lift Station Regulations (Chapter 122-126):

  • Staff: Clarified that the amendments do not ban private lift stations for single properties or commercial properties but explicitly state the county will not accept ownership of private lift stations serving multiple single-family residential properties. Speaker emphasized this prevents HOAs from being liable for private infrastructure failures.
  • Commissioner Burrell: Expressed concern that the language creates a "sledgehammer" effect, potentially hindering mixed-use developments and growth in environmentally sensitive areas like Lake Alatoona. Speaker noted the need for a scalpel approach rather than a blanket ban.
  • Commissioner Gambrel: Expressed concern that the "shall not" language sends a signal that Cobb County is no longer welcoming of growth. Speaker questioned the lack of flexibility for regional lift stations in areas without gravity sewer access.
  • Outcome: The board approved Section 122-126.A.3 (county shall not accept ownership of private lift stations) and tabled the remainder of the section (regarding the specific ban on new private lift stations serving multiple single-family residences) pending further legal review and development of a plan. Passed 5-0.

Key Outcomes

• Stormwater Utility Established: Approved the establishment of a stormwater fee of $4.75 per Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), effective June 1, 2026, creating a dedicated enterprise fund isolated from the general fund. (Vote: 3-2)
• Lift Station Policy Refined: Approved the policy that the county shall not accept ownership of existing private lift stations (Section 122-126.A.3). The specific language prohibiting new private lift stations for subdivisions serving multiple single-family homes was tabled for further study. (Vote: 5-0)
• Solid Waste Code Clarified: Approved Chapter 102 amendments with a modification to explicitly include "single family attached or detached" dwellings in the residential service unit definition. (Vote: 5-0)
• Code Amendments Passed: Adopted remaining amendments for Chapters 2, 10, 18, 22, 50, 54, 106, and 114. Approved changes to Chapter 122 Article Two (Water/Wastewater Systems) excluding the stormwater utility portion. (Vote: 5-0)
• Streetlight Rates: Approved rate adjustments for streetlight districts effective January 1, 2026, following a defense that increased Georgia Power costs have drained fund balances. (Vote: 5-0)
• Appointments: Approved the appointments of Tanisha Horton (Transit System Advisory Board) and Lisa Castleberry (Cemetery Preservation Commission). (Vote: 5-0)
• Recognitions: Congratulated the Walton High School volleyball team on their state championship and proclaimed November as Native American Heritage Month in Cobb County.

Note: Commissioner Burlen and Commissioner Gambrel voted against the stormwater utility measures.