GAINESVILLE – A vacant 7-acre wooded lot on Mabry Road is one step closer to becoming a wrecker service and boat storage site following extended discussion at Monday night’s Hall County Planning Commission meeting.
A unanimous recommendation for approval was eventually given by commissioners, but not before the applicant’s request became somewhat more complicated.
To explain: Mabry Road has become a popular shortcut connecting Mountain View and Old Flowery Branch Roads. The extra wear and tear has the roadway needing frequent maintenance, and neighbors have told the county in the past that they want something done to deter hurried drivers from using their narrow roadway, even to the extent of saying they wouldn’t mind if the road was closed.
And while neighbors would like to have relief from the cut-thru traffic they are not sure they care to get a wrecker and boat storage facility in the process.
Johnny Free spoke on behalf of Hulsey Towing and applicant Ben Drerup. “What we would like to do is abandon the entire road.” Free was referring to the portion of road fronting the applicant’s 7-acre lot.
Free explained that under the modified request Mabry Road off of Old Flowery Branch Road would become a shallow cul-de-sac, and Mabry Road north of Centennial Drive would become a second shallow cul-de-sac, eliminating the possibility of through traffic.
Commissioner Chris Braswell pointed out to Free that road abandonment is not under the purview of the Planning Commission, and the fact that a portion of the road is within Gainesville city limits would further complicate his idea.
Free said he was determined to face that challenge.
Still neighbors were unsure if a wrecker and boat storage facility was what they wanted in their neighborhood, plus many of them did not realize that the property was rezoned a year ago to Light Industrial; many thought the parcel was still zoned residential (AR-III).
Braswell told the neighbors who spoke against the request, “I want to clarify, to make sure you understand…it’s already Light Industrial (I-I) zoning. So if the applicants here tonight wanted to build something that met the existing conditions they could do that.”
Resident Jack Pittman, speaking for several neighbors said, “I’m not sure (we) understood that it had a different zoning, to be perfectly honest.”
Neighbor Charlotte Hartsfield said she has lived on nearby Westgate Place for over forty years. “It’s always been a quiet neighborhood, and I’m opposed to this kind of facility back there because I have never seen a wrecker service yet that didn’t turn into a junkyard.”
The request now goes to the Hall County Commission on July 12th for a final decision.
NEW NEIGHBORHOOD COMING TO LANIER ISLANDS PARKWAY AREA
A unanimous rezoning recommendation came out of Monday night’s Hall County Planning Commission meeting that would allow for eleven single family homes to be built along Beards Road near Buford.
Applicant Jason Jackson plans to subdivide the 9.37-acre site so all eleven homes will front Beards Road, all will have a minimum size of 2200-square-feet and all will be sited on lots that range from approximately one-half acre to one and one-half acres.
The lone remaining issue facing Jackson is developing a plan for storm water management.
Charles Turner, Hall County Planning and Development Engineer, explained to Jackson that his project requires a storm water management plan due to the number of lots it will contain.
“It’s an involved process to do that,” Turner said. “In Hall County…we do allow six lot or less (subdivisions) to be exempt from that ordinance. That’s what most people for properties like this take advantage of.”
Jackson’s rezoning application now goes to the Hall County Commission for final approval on July 12th, and don’t be surprised if he alters his plans for an eleven-house neighborhood and takes advantage of the six-lot storm water management plan exemption.
