City planners to hear another request from shopping center developers

GAINESVILLE - The developers of a shopping center proposed for Dawsonville Highway across from Beechwood Boulevard are expected to be back before the Gainesville Planning & Appeals Board next month. Also on the agenda is a rezoning request for half-an-acre on McEver Road at Gould Road where an auto repair shop is planned.

The shopping center developers, America's Home Place, will be seeking a variance to the stream buffer requirement for the 25+ acres. They won city council approval March 19 of their plans for the 245,880-square-foot complex, despite strong opposition from residents of Lakeshore Heights Subdivision, which is backs up to the rear of the property. (See earlier story. Link below.)

According to documents provided to the Gainesville Planning Department, their plans are impacted by the topography of the site and drainage from other properties. Hence, the request for the variance.


MCEVER ROAD/GOULD ROAD

The rezoning for the McEver/Gould tract is being sought by Foote Miller Properties LLC.

Plans call for tearing down a vacant car wash now located on the site, which is across from Free Chapel, and replacing it with a 5,000-square-foot building. The city's planning staff has told the developers that the property may not be used for a paint and body shop, there can be no on-site storage of vehicles that are used for parts,and that the building should be oriented perpendicular to McEver Road.

Foote Miller has agreed to the first two stipulations but says the third would adversely impact use of the site because "back up space for parking would be reduced from 26 to 24 feet" and the amount of green space would be decreased. In addition, the applicants say aligning the building in such a way would create two visible "front yards," limiting the number of vehicles waiting to be serviced that could be hidden from public view. They note that planning staffers had expressed concern about the visibility issue.

The planning and appeals board will meet on April 9 at 5:30 at the Gainesville Justice Center on Queen City Parkway.