MABLETON, GA — The Cobb County School District is moving forward with plans to build a school bus depot on a seven-acre site in Mableton, despite months of community pushback.

The property, located along Veterans Memorial Highway, was purchased before the city officially incorporated, meaning the district was not required to follow the city’s zoning process.

“The bus depot is going to be on Veterans Memorial Highway, going into our downtown area,” said Mableton Mayor Michael Owens. “The fact that it backs up into a residential area, I totally understand why our citizens would have some challenges with it being there.”

Owens says the school district has committed to adding setbacks, landscaping, and infrastructure improvements to help reduce traffic conflicts and lessen the depot’s impact on the surrounding area.

The depot will serve 10 schools in Mableton. Owens added, “The goal for us is that when you drive by you don’t even know the bus depot is there.”

WSB’s Veronica Waters contributed to this story