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STONECREST, GA – The City of Stonecrest issued a statement this evening (Jan. 27) that it “has become aware of certain staff communications that may give the inaccurate impression that the recently proposed amendment to the city’s zoning ordinance (TMOD2022-012) was offered to circumvent the city’s normal rules or to improperly benefit a single entity, in this case SeaQuest.”
The SeaQuest petting zoo has come under fire by People for the Equitable Treatment of Animals (PETA). The organization has stated that SeaQuest has been operating illegally every since it opened inside the Mall at Stonecrest in Nov. 2021. The organization stated that the proposed TMOD2022-012 would change the city’s zoning to now allow indoor animal exhibits in the city’s C-1 and C-2 zoning districts. PETA urged the mayor and City Council in a Jan. 17 e-mail to reject the proposed zoning amendment.
Mayor Jazzmin Cobble issued the following statement:
“These communications were unfortunate; however, they are solely attributable to the individual making them and in no way reflect the views of the Mayor and City Council. We remain steadfastly committed to implementing progressive and fair-minded policies within the city and we have the same expectations of our city staff,” said Mayor Jazzmin Cobble. “Towards this end, the city is engaging an independent consultant to review the proposed zoning amendment to ensure that it is fully consistent with the city’s charter and ordinances, as well as sound public policy, best government practices for land use requirements, and enforceable healthy and safety standards. Despite extraneous comments from staff and others, City Council and I are the city’s ultimate decision-makers, and we will properly evaluate this proposed zoning amendment at a future meeting.”