Annexation, rezoning for west Gainesville subdivision get 'do pass' recommendation from city planning staff

GAINESVILLE - The Gainesville Planning Department staff is recommending approval of annexation and rezoning requests for a tract of land on the west side of town where a 219-lot subdivision is planned. The matter is on the Gainesville Planning and Appeals Board's agenda for its Tuesday meeting.<br /> <br /> The lakeside property is on Ahaluna Drive off Dawsonville Highway. The development includes 102.16± acres and involves two separate requests which include the annexation of 70.23± acres and rezoning of 31.93+ acres.<br /> <br /> The applicants - West Ahaluna, LLC; SO QUE, LLC; America's Home Place; and Barry G. Conner - say the single-family subdivision will be divided into three phases, with an estimated build-out of five years for each phase. The homes are expected to cost between $400,000 and $1.5 million, with a minimum size of 1,800-square-feet.<br /> <br /> When the development is completely finished, planned amenities include a 130-slip boat dock, parking area and gazebo, and a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse with parking. <br /> <br /> A number of conditions are attached to the planning staff's recommendation that the annexation and rezoning be approved:<br /> <br /> <br /> 1. The development standards within the applicant's narrative, concept plan and architectural renderings shall be made part of the zoning ordinance, and shall be subject to the Community Development Director approval. Any zoning conditions adopted as part of this zoning ordinance that conflict with the applicant's narrative, concept plan and architectural renderings shall take precedence over the applicant's development standards.<br /> <br /> 2. In order to allow for a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet, the proposed residential homes shall meet the standards of an Infill Residential Development Project as defined within Chapter 9-10-12 of the Gainesville Unified Land Development Code. <br /> <br /> 3. The proposed single-family lots with road frontage on Ahaluna Drive shall have a minimum front yard setback of 25-feet.<br /> <br /> 4. The minimum heated floor space for the proposed homes shall be no less than 2,100 square feet. <br /> <br /> 5. The proposed erosion control and water quality measures for the development shall at minimum meet the Georgia Storm Water Management Manual requirements. The owner / developer shall also construct additional bioretention facilities within the development to help further remove contaminants and sedimentation from Lake Lanier.<br /> <br /> 6. As agreed to by the owner / developer, a site shall be made available to the City of Gainesville for a fire station consisting of not more than three (3) acres of land which will be designated by the owner / developer and reasonably approved by the City of Gainesville for such public services. The site shall be located no further than one fourth of a mile (0.25) from the subject property and made available by the owner / developer without charge for the land at any time within seven (7) years after the developer has provided paved access to the site.<br /> <br /> 7. A permanent eyebrow cul-de-sac shall be constructed off of Ahaluna Drive across from Phase I of the development in order to provide for an adequate turn around for construction vehicles and other vehicular traffic. The cul-de-sac shall meet City of Gainesville standards and shall be at the expense of the developer. <br /> <br /> 8. The owner / developer shall seek approval from the City of Gainesville, Hall County and the Corps of Engineers to improve the existing Ahaluna Drive cul-de-sac to provide for better turn around for emergency and utility vehicles. If approved, curb and gutter and sidewalks shall be extended to the Ahaluna Drive cul-de-sac. All road and traffic improvements to Ahaluna Drive shall be at the expense of the developer and shall meet the minimum standards of the City of Gainesville prior to acceptance. <br /> <br /> 9. The owner / developer shall seek approval from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), Hall County and the City of Gainesville to construct a new access road from the development to a determined location off of Dawsonville Highway (S.R. 53) to help alleviate additional traffic delays at the intersection of Page 7 of 8Ahaluna Drive and Dawsonville Highway. If approved, the new road and all traffic improvements shall be constructed prior to Certificate of Occupancy being issued for homes within Phase 3 of the development. All road and traffic improvements shall be at the expense of the developer.<br /> <br /> 10. There shall be no access allowed onto West Lake Drive, within the Lakeshore Heights neighborhood.<br /> <br /> 11. There shall be no driveways allowed onto Ahaluna Drive for lots that have road frontage on any new proposed interior street. There shall be no driveways allowed onto Karen Lane or Strickland Drive.<br /> <br /> 12. The proposed 10,000 square foot amenity clubhouse shall be of residential scale to include a minimum 3:12 roof pitch and exterior facade materials similar in architecture to the proposed single-family homes. <br /> <br /> 13. All proposed signs shall meet the minimum standards of a Project Entrance Sign as identified within Section 9-18-7-9 of the Gainesville Unified Land Development Code. All signs shall be located outside of utility areas and shall not block visibility of vehicular traffic.<br /> <br /> BROAD STREET ABANDONMENT PROPOSAL<br /> <br /> Medical Arts Properties is again requesting that its request for the city to abandon a section of Broad Street near Northeast Georgia Medical Center be tabled.<br /> <br /> The request is also on the planning board's Tuesday agenda.<br /> <br /> This request was tabled at the August 12 planning meeting meeting in order to allow the applicant to meet with city officials and nearby property owners. Those meetings occurred and Medical Arts Properties is now asking that the item be tabled again to the February 10, 2015, meeting in order to complete additional research needed and to make updates to a 2009 traffic study.<br /> <br /> The planning board meets at 5:30 Tuesday at the Gainesville Justice Center/Public Safety Complex on Queen City Parkway.