Woodstock City Council Approves Golf Driving Range CUP, Road Contract and Trail Funding at Jan. 26, 2026 Meeting

The Woodstock City Council met Jan. 26, 2026, at 7 p.m. in The Chambers at City Center, 8534 Main Street, approving a conditional use permit for a golf driving range, a road improvement contract, trail and park funding, and several other infrastructure and financial items. The meeting proceeded largely as anticipated by the agenda Woodstock Community News previewed ahead of the session.

Mayor Michael Caldwell presided over the meeting, which was attended by all six council members - Colin Ake, Warren Johnson, David Potts, Brian Wolfe, Tracy Collins and Rob Usher - along with City Manager Jeff Moon and other senior staff.

Before the main business began, Mayor Caldwell noted that Misty Smith, who had been scheduled for recognition for earning her Certified Municipal Court Administrator (Level II) designation, was unable to attend and would be recognized at a future meeting. Caldwell did present a proclamation in honor of Optimist Day to a representative from the Optimist Club. Mayor Caldwell also administered the oath of office to Brandon Williams for his reappointment to the Planning Commission, a reappointment made by Ward 3 Council Member Colin Ake at the Jan. 12, 2026 council meeting.

Mayor Pro Tem Colin Ake read the announcements, which included notice of Mayor Caldwell's 2026 State of the City Address scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30, at a breakfast at Woodstock City Church hosted by IN WDSTK, with registration available at inwdstk.org. Ake also announced the Mardi Gras Crawl on Saturday, Feb. 7, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Valentine Bingo returning to Downtown Woodstock from Feb. 7 through Feb. 14.

During the public comment period, Martha Jean Schindler was the sole registered speaker. She addressed concerns relating to ICE. No other members of the public signed up to speak during the general comment period.

The council voted to approve all six consent agenda items on a motion by Council Member Rob Usher, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Colin Ake. The motion carried. Items approved on the consent agenda included: authorization to submit the Fiscal Year 2026 Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant application to the Georgia Department of Transportation; approval of budget journal entry MAJBA JE 20539 to use Park Bond reserve funds to fund the design phase of the Buckhead Trail Crossing, a project originally anticipated to begin in fiscal year 2027 but now ready to proceed sooner; award of RFB 2026-07 for the Main Street at Elm Street Intersection Improvement Project to R&B Developer, the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, in an amount not to exceed $291,766, along with the related budget journal entry MAJBA JE 20585; ratification of the previously completed acquisition of easements associated with Parcel 9 for the Dobbs Road Multi-Use Trail project, covering 2,010.12 square feet of temporary construction easement and two temporary driveway easements; adoption of Resolution No. 2026-002 authorizing an interfund loan to the Parking Operations Fund for operations, maintenance and capital projects; and approval of a streetlight agreement with Georgia Power for the Towne Lake Widening Project, covering installation of 23 75-watt LED teardrop fixtures on 15-foot concrete poles and 1,500 feet of underground cable bore.

The council then turned to the public hearing portion of the meeting. Senior Planner Niwana Ray presented the details of CUP#091-25, a conditional use permit request by applicant George Mattingly on behalf of RangeWorks USA, Inc., to operate a recreational center and facility on an unaddressed, vacant parcel on Rope Mill Road at Woodstock Parkway, near the roundabout. The proposed development is a golf driving range featuring a structure of more than 15,000 square feet with 32 bays and an adjacent hitting area enclosed by a protective netting system. The facility would be built above an existing gravel parking lot used by The Outlet Shoppes of Atlanta during seasonal high-volume periods. Three variances to site standards were also requested, largely to recognize existing conditions on the property.

The Development Process Committee had voted unanimously on Dec. 17, 2025, to recommend approval subject to conditions. The Planning Commission considered the project on Jan. 8, 2026, and voted to recommend approval with staff's recommended conditions, adding a 12th condition of its own. Conditions of approval included limits on hours of operation from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., a prohibition on exterior amplified sound on netting poles or in the parking lot, restrictions on signage, requirements for a fire access lane, and provisions governing landscaping and tree replacement under and around the netting system.

The minutes reflect that the council considered CUP#091-25 with the staff-recommended conditions of approval. The minutes do not record a separate vote tally for this item beyond the council's action to approve it.

The agenda had also listed CUP#092-25, a conditional use permit request for a storage yard use with a concurrent variance at 11988 Hwy 92. The official minutes as reviewed do not contain a recorded action on CUP#092-25 separate from the public hearing section; residents seeking the outcome of that item should consult the city's full meeting record or contact city staff directly.

The minutes also do not reflect a separately recorded vote on the January 2026 Zoning Map Amendment, the Little River Park Change Order No. 3 for $181,275.43 to address poor soil conditions in the Woodlands section, the tree removal fine appeal involving 1000 Churchill Court and IDC Development LLC, or the e-bikes and micro-mobility policy discussion, beyond what is captured in the consent agenda actions described above. Residents interested in the outcomes of those items should refer to the complete official minutes or video record available through the City of Woodstock's online agenda portal.

The meeting had been called to order at 7 p.m. Council Member Rob Usher led the Pledge of Allegiance, and City Manager Jeff Moon led the group in prayer.

Mayor Caldwell's 2026 State of the City Address was scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30, at Woodstock City Church. The next regular City Council meeting was not announced in the minutes as reviewed.