Forsyth County planning board members denied the rezoning of about 126 acres of proposed residential developments at a public hearing Tuesday evening, which was held after a same-day work session due to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
The majority of the applications denied were requests to rezone to land to master planned districts, or MPDs, which would have amounted to approximately 480 new units.
Board members did approve the rezoning of more than 230 acres for residential use, though, which will add about 270 new residential units to the county if the Board of Commissioners approves the applications.
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Almost 300 units in south Forsyth denied
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WHAT: Planners and Engineers Collaborative Inc. asked to rezone about 58 acres for 296 residential units from commercial business District, or CBD, and agricultural district, or A1 to MPD. They also wanted 115,000 square feet of commercial space with 461 parking spots.
WHERE: Off Brannon Road, just north of Ronald Reagan Boulevard off Exit 13 of Ga. 400.
DISCUSSION: District 2 representative and Board Chair Jayne Iglesias took issue with the increase in applications that are requesting to rezone from CBD to residential or MPD. She said commercial districts are zoned commercial for a reason and cited a recommendation from the county’s Comprehensive Plan consultant, who suggested halting rezoning MPDs.
VOTE: 4-1, with District 4’s Bettina Hammond opposed, to recommend denial.
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No-vote for 184-lot MPD in west Forsyth
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WHAT: Hopewell Group LLC is requesting to rezone almost 70 acres from A1 to MPD to create 184 residential lots with a density of 2.65 units per acre and 51,000 square feet of commercial buildings with 255 parking spaces.
WHERE: North of Canton Highway (Hwy. 20 west) on the west side of Dr. Bramblett Road, just north of the intersection with Spot Road Connector.
DISCUSSION: Planning board members reiterated previous concerns they raised regarding MPDs that the residential portion of the development would be built and no commercial buildings would end up coming in. District 5 representative Robert Hoyt discussed a previous development on Buford Highway (Hwy. 20 east ) where the Honda and Kia dealerships now sit and said the area was a “desert” of cleared land for some time.
VOTE: 5-0 to recommend denial.
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Other notes
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NANCY BENTLEY'S application, which would add 105 new units, 29,600 square feet of commercial buildings and 148 parking spaces to about 21 acres, was postponed until the Jan. 31 public hearing.
EXTRA MILE AUTO TIRE & SERVICE LLC withdrew their application for an auto service establishment on McGinnis Ferry Road.
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* The planning board serves as a recommending body for the Board of Commissioners, who has final say in zoning matters.