A special use request to allow a more-than nine acre tract of land on Ransom Free Road to be used as an agri-entertainment venue was recommended for approval by the Hall County Planning Commission Monday.
That recommendation came after a public hearing that lasted over an hour with residents voicing both support and opposition to the request of Michelle Gibbs. Attorney Tyler Smith spoke against the proposed use, saying he represented more than 100 nearby residents who had signed a petition against the request.
Smith cited a rejected request to rezone the property to Planned Commercial Development in 2013, saying the county should uphold that decision.
"The site was too small. At that point, commissioners were looking towards a 50-acre parcel and they were concerned about the impact that it would have on neighboring properties," Smith said. "Since that time, none of that has changed, none of those concerns have changed. The only thing that has changed is there are numerous other residents in the neighborhood, including a new subdivision in the neighborhood."
Planning Commissioners added two conditions to the request, including changing the proposed hours of operation for the venue. The original application would have allowed the site to operate until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, but planning commissioners changed that to 10:00 p.m. Also changed was the proposed setback on one side of the property from 72 feet to 200 feet.
"I'm comfortable with sending it back to the commission and letting them do their job," Planning Commissioner Stan Hunt said.
After a discussion between planning commissioners and the applicants, the request was recommended for approval by a 3-1 vote. Planning Commissioner Gina Pilcher was the only vote against the request.
The Hall County Commission will give the special use request a final vote at its meeting Thursday, August 22. A public hearing will be held before the vote.
Friendship Road mixed-use development passes planning commission
Hall County Planning Commissioners unanimously recommended a more-than 74-acre residential and commercial development on Friendship Road Monday.
The development, if approved, would sit at the corner of Friendship Road and Ridge Road and would include a 132-lot subdivision and a suburban shopping center. No one spoke against the rezoning request at Monday's meeting.
The rezoning will need final approval from the Hall County Commission.
