The Forsyth County planning board, which serves as a recommending committee for the Board of Commissioners, held their monthly public hearing on Tuesday, July 25, where they voted on zoning applications likely to be heard at the Board of Commissioners’ Aug. 8 regular meeting.

Storage facility passes in south Forsyth

• WHAT: OCS Enterprises Inc., is requesting to build a 103,000-square-foot climate-controlled storage building with 20 parking spaces on about three acres currently zoned commercial business district (CBD). A variance seeks to increase the building length from 200 feet to 365.8 feet.
  
• WHERE: On Atlanta Highway (Hwy. 9) in south Forsyth, just south of the intersection with Shirlee Industrial Way.
  
• COMMENTS: Last month, due to the recent resignation of District 3 planning board member Patrick Britt, the board voted 2-2, which automatically postponed the application to Tuesday’s public hearing. On Tuesday, District 2 planning commissioner Stacy Guy, who “adopted” the application, said the applicant has made changes that make it more favorable.
  
• VOTE: 3-1 in favor, with Guy in opposition and District 5 board member Tim Dineen absent.
  

Catholic church gets preliminary go-ahead to add buildings, amphitheater

• WHAT: Saint Brendan’s Catholic Church is requesting a conditional use permit (CUP) to expand and operate a church sanctuary and to add a ministry building, parish hall and administration building, mini-amphitheater, gymnasium and youth building totaling 160,000 square feet with 550 total parking spaces in addition to the existing 32,000-square-foot church on 12.04 acres currently zoned agricultural district (A1).
  
• WHERE: Off Shiloh Road near Fowler Park in south Forsyth.
  
• COMMENTS: At last week’s work session, planning members initially expressed concern about the amphitheater and the amount of noise it would make. Church members who attended Tuesday’s meeting said the sound would be minimal and that the space would mostly be used for youth groups and children’s summer activities. If expanded, the eight-phase project would make St. Brendan’s the largest Catholic church in the state, they said.
• VOTE: 4-0 in favor.
  

120-lot subdivision approved next to Polo Fields

• WHAT: Parkland Communities Inc., wants to rezone about 88 acres next to the Polo Fields subdivision from A1 to single family residential Res-2 district to build 120 lots at a density of 1.37 units per acre.
  
• WHERE: Off Pittman Road in west Forsyth.
  
• COMMENTS: At the public hearing, several residents from neighboring subdivisions expressed concern about traffic and requested a traffic device be put in on Pittman Road. At last week’s work session, Guy said he considered conditioning larger house sizes to fit with the homes already in the Polo Fields. As applied for, a ranch-style home would be required to be a minimum of 2,400 square feet and a two-story home to be 2,800 square feet. At the public hearing, the applicant said the ranch homes would be a minimum of 2,400 square feet and the two-story would be a minimum of 3,000 square feet. In addition, instead of providing neighborhood amenities such as a pool or clubhouse, the applicant said he is working with the Polo Golf and Country Club to buy a bulk membership to the golf club for residents for their first year, thus giving them access to the club’s amenities. He said this is what the Polo Fields subdivision offers.
• VOTE: 3-1 in favor, with District 3 board member Keith Banke, whose district the application falls in, opposed.