Other business
The Forsyth County planning board’s work session Tuesday was also the first showing for the new District 2 subarea planning board.
Jim Bennie, Mitch Copman, Bill Fitch Jr. and Carter Patterson were joined by Commissioner Brian Tam as they reviewed an application from Beazer Homes Corp.
The company wants to rezone about 8 acres from restricted industrial district, or M1, to single family residential district Res-4 for 19 lots to be included in the development of about 15 acres and 40 lots.
The land, which is off Old Alpharetta Road, is being sold by the nonprofit No Longer Bound and is landlocked.
Staff is not supportive of the rezoning due to its future land use.
-- Kayla Robins
FORSYTH COUNTY — Forsyth County’s planning board welcomed a new face to its panel Tuesday.
Rusty Whitlow attended his first work session as representative for District 1, which covers Cumming and parts of north and west Forsyth.
Whitlow, who moved to the area in 1989 to be manager of the Russell Athletic Plant, replaces Pam Bowman, who was chairwoman and the longest-standing member of the board.
His wife, Carol Whitlow, is a county-native and 20-year teacher in Forsyth County.
“This is our home,” he said. “I have a desire that when the community is finally built out that it is with quality structures, facilities and neighborhoods.”
He has served as vice president of campaigns and president of United Way in 1993-94 and was the vice president of economic development and chairman of the board of directors for the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce in 1994-95.
His time at the chamber gave him experience in recruiting businesses and knowing how many factors play into putting a structure on the ground.
Since the Russell Athletic Plant closed in 1997, Whitlow has been vice president of operations for U.S. Technologies, owner/partner of Kelley Auto Action and vice president of operations for Cable Quest. He is currently the owner of Emittek, an LED lighting company.
An announcement by another planning commission member at the same meeting changed the makeup of the group for the third time in as many months.
Alan Neal, representative for north Forsyth’s District 4, said he is resigning from the board, effective after the group’s public hearing meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
Neal, who was appointed by Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills in Jan. 2013, said the main reason for his exit is to balance family and work.
“I have two girls who are school age, and I want to spend more time with them, but also things are really busy at work,” he said.
He is a licensed professional engineer with 15 years of experience serving the public and private sectors in civil engineering and water resources.
Neal resigning leaves Jayne Iglesias, of District 2 in south Forsyth, and Robert Hoyt of District 5, which spans east Forsyth and Lake Lanier, remaining with Whitlow.
Both Bowman and Greg Dolezal, of District 3 in southwest Forsyth, left the group at year’s end when the county commission voted against allowing Dolezal to rescind his resignation.