Three rezoning requests total about 125 acres

GAINESVILLE - Rezoning of three 40-plus acre tracts goes before the Hall County Planning Commission early next month.

A 44-acre site at 3792 and 3800 Athens Highway is set aside for a "restaurant and special events," according to the planning board's agenda. That request is from Kleber Carrillo.

Another on Athens Highway near A.L. Mangum Road is for 41.3 acres and was filed by Larry Beck. The proposed use of that tract: Mixed use commercial/industrial.

The third is on Poplar Springs Road where North Georgia Christian School, formerly Westminster Christian, plans to re-locate its campus. The 40.4-acre site is on the west side of the road at the Pine Hill Road intersection.

Board of Trustees Chairman Al Gainey says they hope to have at least some temporary facilities ready for use next year, "by the fall of 2009, at the latest by the spring of 2010."

Gainey said Monday that the application for the rezoning is "a huge step toward moving from where we are now."

The school is currently located on Thompson Bridge Road near Enota and was given the land on Poplar Springs Road, about 100 acres in all, a few years ago. Gainey had said earlier and repeated Monday that plans call for creating a middle school/high school complex on the site with room for "750-1,000" students. For now, the elementary school will remain on Thompson Bridge Road but Gainey said trustees have not ruled out moving it to Poplar Springs Road, as well.

Also on the agenda, a rezoning request also from Larry Beck, for a shopping center and car wash on Gillsville Highway at Mustang Drive and a request from CRM Fabrication & Repair, Inc. for 3.5 acres at 3290 Athens Highway for "mixed use commercial and manufacturing."

The planning commission meets July 7 at 5:15 at the Georgia Mountains Center.