Planning staff OKs rezoning for new shopping center

GAINESVILLE - The planning staff for the city of Gainesville is recommending conditional approval of a rezoning request for a new shopping center on Dawsonville Highway. The matter will be addressed by the Gainesville Planning & Appeals Board Tuesday.

America's Home Place is seeking the rezoning (to G-B, General Business) for an 25-acre tract just west of McEver Road and across from Cheddar's, Olive Garden and Buffalo Wild Wings. (See earlier story. Link below.)

The planning staff's recommendations are based on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and the adjacent and nearby commercial land uses but is being made with these conditions:


1. The exterior materials of the proposed shopping center buildings shall be generally consistent with the architectural rendering submitted with the application and shall conform with the Gateway Corridor Overlay Zone standards.

2. The rear of the proposed buildings shall consist of earth tone colors as to blend in with the vegetated landscape.

3. A minimum 100-foot wide buffer shall be provided between the rear of the commercial shopping center buildings and the adjacent residential properties located within the Lakeshore Heights Subdivision. The first 35-feet of the buffer adjacent to the residential properties shall remain undisturbed.
" In addition, three staggered rows of evergreen trees shall be planted both at the top of the slope closest to the proposed buildings/rear access drive and at the lower slope elevation adjacent to the undisturbed buffer areas. These trees shall be a minimum installation height of 8 feet and may consist of a mixture of Arborvitae Green Giant, Wax Myrtle, Leyland Cypress and/or Japanese Cryptomeria trees.
" All cut and fill slopes and detention pond areas visible from the adjacent residential properties, Lakeshore Circle and Ahaluna Drive shall be stabilized with weeping love grass. In addition, these areas shall be planted with a mixture of hardwoods and evergreen trees at a minimum installation height of 8 feet as to present a finished appearance from the adjacent residential properties. The type, location and number of trees shall be subject to the approval of the Community Development Department Director.

4. A minimum 6-foot high black vinyl coated security fence shall be installed between the rear of the proposed buildings/access drive and the planted buffer area located at the top of the cut and fill slope.
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5. All lighting within the development shall be positioned or screened as to not create direct glare on the adjacent residential properties. The outdoor lighting shall meet the standards as required within Chapter 9-3-4 of the Gainesville Unified Land Development Code.

6. Any service areas including dumpster pad areas and loading docks area shall be sufficiently screened from all public roads and adjacent residential properties and shall meet the standards as required within Section 9-3-3-3 of the Gainesville Unified Land Development Code.

7. An automotive paint and body repair shop or auto sales facility is not an approved use for the subject property. There shall be no junk vehicles or vehicles used for parts stored on the subject property.

8. There shall be no vehicular access allowed from the proposed development to the adjacent Lakeshore Heights Neighborhood, excluding authorized utility vehicles.

9. The applicant shall reevaluate with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and the City of Gainesville Public Works Director the need for a traffic signal at the median break on Dawsonville Highway in front of the subject property and the private road between the Olive Garden and Cheddar s restaurants. Any new road improvements required by the Gainesville Public Works Director and GDOT for the development of this property shall be the financial responsibility of the applicant/developer.

10. A uniform sign plan shall be provided for the entire development as described in Section 9-18-2-7 of the Gainesville Unified Land Development Code.

11. An updated as-built boundary survey/plat of the subject property, indicating existing conditions and all improvements shall be recorded prior to obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy for the proposed use.

The planning and appeals board will meet Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Gainesville Justice Center on Queen City Parkway.