GAINESVILLE – Over one-thousand pages of documentation, comments, charts, maps, architectural renderings, studies, proposals and reports made the agenda at Tuesday’s Gainesville City Council meeting almost too heavy to carry.
That tome the direct result of the highly publicized and much-debated application by Oak Hall Companies to annex and rezone sufficient property along Dawsonville Highway so as to construct an 880-unit active adult community between Ahaluna Drive and Sportsman Club Road.
The time had come for the city council to make a decision. Despite divided public opinion on the project the council’s opinion was not; a unanimous show of hands approving first reading ended months of speculation about the 235-acre development’s future.
Barring any last second surprise city council is expected to approve second reading in two weeks - this time without public comment as part of the meeting – and the discussion will be over.
Speaking on behalf of the applicant, Ethan Underwood reminded council members, “Much of this property is already zoned; some of it is already in the city, some of it is in unincorporated Hall County.”
“So if the city council says, ‘We really don’t like this project’, that’s (still) zoned and ready to go today,” Underwood said.
“What we’re asking you to do is bring that into the city so you all have control over what goes there, and we think we can provide a better project,” Underwood added.
“Something is going to be built on this project and we think what we’re presenting is a better something.”
Councilman Sam Couvillon said he agreed. “At the end of the day I do feel that having a planned development is better for this area. If you just go in right now and you are allowed to develop it as it is currently you end up without a uniform…architectural design.”
Principle applicant for Oak Hall Companies, Tad Braswell, reminded council that the project also included numerous traffic improvements along the crowded corridor.
“We’ve talked about traffic improvements but there’s no funding for them,” Braswell said, referring to efforts under consideration by the city, county and state to ameliorate congestion.
“We’re bringing the funding for them,” Braswell stated. “If lights (traffic signals) are required at the three (entrance) intersections we will put those in. We are donating $425,000 to the Ahaluna intersection that wouldn’t happen. We are the catalyst for the improvements.”
Councilman Zack Thompson agreed. “I think we have an opportunity here with a developer who is willing to accelerate some traffic improvements in an area that we all agree needs improvement.”
Thompson continued, “They are willing to invest potentially millions of dollars here and I think that I have a responsibility to take this tax burden off of the taxpayer and place it on these guys who are willing to take it on. With that I second the motion (to approve).”
OTHER ITEMS DECIDED AT THIS MEETING:
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Brightstone Transitions’ request to use the historic Smith-Palmer-Estes House at 446 Green Street as a group home for young male adults diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome was approved unanimously.
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A special use permit was unanimously granted for Gainesville Market, LLC, to continue using a 5-acre vacant lot off Shallowford Road as a community soccer complex.
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Manor Lake Development, LLC, received unanimous approval to construct an assisted living facility on 9.24-acres along McEver Road between Browns Bridge Road and Oakwood Drive.
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By a unanimous vote Montecito Development was denied rezoning and a special use permit to construct a convenience store and gas station on the vacant lot at the southwest corner of Enota Drive and Thompson Bridge Road.
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Carriage North, LLC, withdrew their special use application for a helipad behind the Carriage auto dealership on Browns Bridge Road.
