With the constant growth in Forsyth County and the surrounding area, it’s no surprise that one of the most asked questions by residents is “when is this development going to be done?”
Below are a few of the commercial, mixed-use and residential projects across the county that have been approved or proposed to Forsyth County Commissioners, what those plans entail and where they are in the zoning process.
The information is compiled from previous stories and online information provided on Forsyth County government websites.
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Publix in west Forsyth
Where: North of 3426 Canton Road, east of Tribble Road at the intersection with Era Road, north of Canton Highway at the intersection with Era Road.
What are the plans: A 15.7-acre commercial development planned for 83,853 square feet of buildings anchored by a large grocery retailer with 51,908 square feet of large-scale retail, 505 parking spaces and gas pumps.
Where it stands: Forsyth County Commissioners approved the request from applicant Halvorsen Development Corporation to rezone the land from agriculture district (A1) to commercial business district (CBD) and single-family residential districts R1 and R2R to all CBD in November 2019. Construction for the project has not started.
Proposed mixed-use space in north Forsyth
Where: 4715 and 4735 Settingdown Circle and west of Ga. 400.
What are the plans: A master-planned district with 310 apartments and 39,100 square feet of office/retail/restaurant/commercial at the intersection of Settingdown Circle and Ga. 400. Applicant WP South Acquisitions is requesting the rezoning of 51.7 acres from commercial business (CBD) and multi-family residential (Res6) districts to master-planned district (MPD).
Where it stands: The application was on the agenda for the Forsyth County Planning Board’s meeting on Thursday, Feb. 25, and members voted to postpone the item to the March 23 meeting.
Sharon Springs Village
Where: 1571, 1615, 1637, 1655 and 1683 Sharon Road, north of Sharon Road and east of the intersection with Peachtree Parkway.
What are the plans: A mixed-use development on 20.7 acres with 97 attached residential units and 29,000 square feet of commercial buildings with 145 parking spaces. Applicant Nancy Bentley is requesting and rezoning from commercial business district (CBD) and agriculture district (A1) to master-planned district (MPD)
What’s next: The public hearings for Sharon Springs Village have been on commissioners’ agendas and postponed more than 35 times since December 2017, most recently at the Thursday, Feb. 4 meeting, when commissioners voted to move it to the March 4 meeting.
Forsyth Technology Park on Atlanta Highway
Where: Between 2765 Atlanta Highway and Ga. 400
What are the plans: A mixed-use project on 118 acres that will include 907,550 square feet of commercial and industrial buildings and 88 age-restricted residential units, which will be operated by the Orchards.
Plans for the development call for about 95 acres to be used for industrial purposes, 20 acres for residential and four acres of commercial to be developed with 1,079 parking spaces for the Forsyth Technology Park. The remaining 30 acres will be open space.
Where it stands: Forsyth County Commissioners approved the request to rezone from single-family residential restricted district (R1R), commercial business district (CBD) and agricultural district (A1) to master-planned district (MPD) in July 2020. Construction on the project has not begun.
Sterling Estates of Forsyth
Where: Atlanta Highway, Shiloh Road, Mars Hill Road and Mars Hill Circle
What are the plans: A development including assisted living facilities with 130 units totaling 182,332 square feet and 93 parking spaces; an independent-living facility with 90 units totaling 103,446 square feet and 78 parking spaces; 100 single-family attached units totaling 184,600 square feet; and 19 detached units totaling 35,800 square feet; and nine acres of open space.
Where it stands: Forsyth County Commissioners approved the rezoning of 43.8 acres from urban Village (UV) and agriculture (A1) districts to UV with a conditional-use permit for Forsyth Senior Living, LLC to operate a continuing care retirement community known as Sterling Estates of Forsyth in August 2020. According to Sterling Estates’ website, construction is expected to begin this year.
The Traditions
Where: Atlanta Highway and Majors Road
What are the plans: Originally approved by commissioners more than a decade ago, the project will include 60 age-restricted, detached, single-family units along with 7,000 square feet of single-story office, 28,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and shops.
Where it stands: In March 2019, Forsyth County Commissioners approved the changes to the original plans for the 182-acre development. Construction on the project has not started.
Amazon coming to Shiloh Road
Where: Shiloh Road near Shiloh Crossing.
What are the plans: Warehouses that will operate around the clock totaling 442,495 square feet with 1,810 parking spaces on 103 acres currently zoned Restricted Industrial District (M1) off Shiloh Road. The project is proposed with three buildings: Building 1 totaling 219,000 square feet; Building 2 totaling 180,375 square feet; and Building 3 totaling 43,120 square feet.
Where it stands: In November, commissioners approved variances for an additional amount of parking spaces up to 1,531 along with the reduction of the zoning buffer along the northeastern portion of the entrance drive for Seefried Industrial Properties, an Atlanta-based developer, has been tied to several Amazon fulfillment centers, including locations in Louisiana, Texas, Chicago and Tampa Bay.
Davidson-Forsyth mixed-use
Where: Between Peachtree Parkway, Westminster Lane and Old Atlanta Road
What are the plans: A proposed 450-acre mixed-use development is being planned with six areas, or pods, that would have different uses and standards. The property is part of an 800-acre tract used by an existing quarry. The quarry is being reduced to 350 acres, leaving the rest to be developed.
Where it stands: At a meeting in September, Forsyth County Commissioners met discussed the project with a consulting team from Nelson Worldwide and the property owner to develop the plan, which looked at materials, exterior architectural styles, the look of the development overall, housing, infrastructure and road needs and more.
District 2 Commissioner Alfred John, who was sworn-in at the beginning of the year, said the project was a major focus for him.
The Villages at Brandywine
Where: 100 McFarland Parkway, east of Atlanta Highway at the north side of the intersection with Martin Drive and south of the intersection with McFarland Parkway.
What are the plans: A mixed-use project with 67 attached residential units with a density of 3.62 units per acre and proposed commercial buildings totaling 43,975 square feet with 233 parking spaces.
Applicant Liu Investments has requested a rezoning from Commercial Business District (CBD), Office and Institutional District (O&I) and Single-Family Residential District (R1) to Master Planned District (MPD) on 18.534 acres.
Where it stands: The project will next go before the county’s planning board. At the board’s Tuesday, Feb. 25 meeting, members voted to postpone the item to the Tuesday, March 23 meeting.
TW Bethelview investments mixed-use
Where: Old Atlanta Road, James Burgess Road and Southers Circle.
What is it: A proposed mixed-use development with 19 single-family detached units, 53,450 square feet of commercial buildings with 318 parking spaces and 4.5 acres of open space. The applicant is requesting the rezoning of 20 acres from agriculture (A1) district to master-planned district (MPD).
Where it stands: The application is currently being reviewed by the county’s planning department and has not yet gone to commissioners or the planning board.
Fox Creek Properties mixed-use
Where: 3690 and 3710 Mathis Airport Parkway.
What is it: A planned mixed-use project consisting of 59 single-family detached and 22 townhome residential units, 14,050 square feet of commercial space with 66 parking spaces and 7.6 acres of open space. The applicant is requesting a rezoning from commercial business district (CBD) to master-planned district (MPD) on 23 acres.
Where it stands: The application is currently being reviewed by the county’s planning department and has not yet gone to commissioners or the planning board.
