The Hall County Planning Commission voted Monday night to recommend the denial of a 185-unit development and Highway Business rezoning on Friendship Road following a split decision.
Tim Wilbanks is requesting two different rezoning actions. The first sits on a 10.04-acre plot that is currently zoned as Agricultural Residential at 1731 Friendship Road. Wilbanks hopes to shift that zoning into Planned Commercial Development to build a 185-unit multi-family development on the property, according to county documents.
The second item is a 2.72-acre plot Wilbanks is hoping to shift to a Highway Business zoning.
The Planning Commission voted in a split 2-2 decision Monday night, defaulting to a denial recommendation of the two rezonings.
The final vote will now be held on Dec. 14 by the Hall County Board of Commissioners.
Update published Monday, Sept. 18, at 8:00 p.m.:
The Hall County Planning Commission voted to table the 185-unit development, as well as the Highway Business rezoning. Both items will be heard again on Oct. 16.
Original story published Sept. 17 at 12:00 p.m.:
The Hall County Planning Commission Monday will vote on their recommendation as it pertains to a 185-unit multi-family development along Friendship Road at the southern end of the county.
The applicant, Tim Wilbanks, is requesting two different rezoning actions. The first sits on a 10.04-acre plot that is currently zoned as Agricultural Residential at 1731 Friendship Road. Wilbanks hopes to shift that zoning into Planned Commercial Development for the purpose of building a 185-unit multi-family development on the property, according to county documents.
The second rezoning action regards a 2.72-acre plot that is currently zoned as Agricultural Residential. Wilbanks is aiming to move that property into a Highway Business zoning for “unspecified commercial uses,” as stated in staff reports.
The area in question is currently undeveloped with a bisecting creek running through the property. That creek will reportedly be used as a baseline to subdivide the area into the proposed Highway Business and Planned Commercial Development zonings.
Plans submitted to the county by Wilbanks depict a single four-story structure housing 185 units, along with a fully enclosed courtyard and amenity area.
Proposed amenities include a swimming pool, bocce ball court and a pavilion. The average size of the units is said to be approximately 900 square feet, including a kitchen, washer and dryer.
The proposed Highway Business area is planned for commercial uses.
Hall County Planning Staff have already recommended approval of the PCD rezoning for the 185-unit structure, citing that plans are consistent with the “mixed-use corridor future land use category as found in the Comprehensive Plan, and previous approval across the street.”
Inversely, planning staff have recommended denial of the Highway Business rezoning request, as they state “it would create an isolated district, there are permitted uses within HB that are not compatible with the adjacent developments and there is insufficient information to assess the potential impact of uses.”
The Planning Commission will vote on their recommendation of approval or denial on Monday at 5:15 p.m. in the Hall County Government Center. Following their vote, the item will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners for a final decision on Oct. 26.
