Other action
Also during its work session Tuesday, Forsyth County’s planning board discussed:
* A home occupational permit from applicant John E. Schuch to operate a metalworking workshop in the basement of his existing 1,525-square-foot home. The house sits on about half an acre currently zoned single family residential district, or R2R, in a neighborhood off Castleberry Road
* A request from FrontDoor Communities to rezone 31 acres from master planned district, or MPD, and agricultural district, or A1, to MPD. That would allow 62 residential lots to be included in a total development of 183 acres and 420 lots, with 184,000 square feet of commercial space, being built as Traditions on Castleberry Road, Atlanta Highway (Hwy. 9) and Majors Road.
-- Kayla Robins
CUMMING — Residents’ concerns over a proposed mega-grocery store southwest of Cumming were aired during a work session Tuesday of Forsyth County’s planning board, though a decision whether to move forward with a public hearing was not made.
Greg Dolezal, planning representative for District 3, expressed those concerns, which centered on the scope of a Kroger that may come to the 27-acre corner of Castleberry and Bethelview roads.
That intersection, already home to a popular Publix, sits within an overlay that has an equestrian thematic.
When Publix was built, there was no overlay to require such visual continuity and, according to Vanessa Bernstein-Goldman, senior planner for the long range planning division, this is the only architectural thematic overlay in Forsyth.
District 1’s Pam Bowman recused herself from the discussion and eventual vote due to a reported conflict of interest.
Dolezal, whose district encompasses the site, said the applicant wants to bring in outparcel stores and a fuel center, representing more of a supercenter than neighborhood store.
The rezoning application requests 141,930 square feet of retail establishments with 658 parking spaces. It would be rezoned from its current industrial district, or M1, to commercial business district, or CBD.
The parking lot posed another issue that hasn’t been resolved. Distributing parking around the building instead of having all spaces in front of the store may make it appear smaller, planning representatives discussed.
Dolezal mentioned the possibility of postponing the public hearing, currently set for Aug. 25, until next month to give both parties a chance continue talks.
Once the planning board holds the public hearing and votes on a recommendation, the county commission will hear the request the following month for a final say.