Two residential developments drew public opposition at Wednesday's Hall County Commission voting session.
The commission voted to approve a rezoning to allow for a 151-lot age-targeted community on just over 58 acres of land on Union Church Road near Highway 211 near Braselton.
Before the vote, several nearby residents expressed concerns about the effects of increased development in the area on the nearby Mulberry River, which they say has suffered severe erosion over the past several years. Brian Rochester of Rochester and Associates spoke on behalf of the developers, Putle Homes, saying that runoff and sewer issued had been discussed with county engineers.
Rochester also said that the density of the proposed neighborhood had been decreased at the request of county planners. The original plans called for over 190 units.
Commissioners approved the rezoning unanimously.
The other proposed development to draw opposition was a request from Rochester and Associates for a special use to build a 23-lot neighborhood on roughly 25 acres of land on Yellow Creek Road near Lake Lanier. It was unanimously denied by commissioners.
Opponents spoke for 20 minutes, saying that the use was too dense for the area. Attoney Joey Homans spoke first on behalf of several area residents.
"I submit to you, if this proposal is approved, you've permitted an (Residential-I) or (Vacation Cottage) subdivision plopped in the middle of (Agricultural-Residential-III) zoning," Homans told commissioners.
District Two Commissioner Billy Powell made the motion to deny the request, which was met with applause from the development's opponents.
"I just didn't feel like that it fit the character of that rural area," Powell said after the meeting. "They're a pretty strong community and I just didn't think the design fit in very well."
Commissioners deny rezoning for industrial development on Highway 365
After several months of tabled hearings, a request from Falcon Design Consultants to rezone over 200 acres of land on Highway 365 near the Hall County-Habersham County line was denied by commissioners Wednesday.
The Hall County Planning Commission had recommended that the request be denied and developers had asked that it be tabled multiple times until commissioners voted Monday to make Wednesday's meeting the final chance for it to be voted on.
No one spoke against the development, but commissioners denied request, saying that the development was too vague to approve. The request was denied unanimously.
