After an hour of discussion Monday, a large proposed apartment and townhome development on Spout Springs Road near Braselton was again tabled by the Hall County Planning Commission.
After discussing the details of the project with the applicant, Ridgeline Land Planning Inc., multiple planning commissioners said they didn't have enough information to make a decision on the development. The developers are looking to build more than 200 total housing units on a 40-acre tract of land on Spout Springs Road just north of Friendship Road.
Planning Commission Chairman Chris Braswell told the developer that he wanted to see architectural renderings of the project, a tentative construction timeline and a more definite number of units. He said he also wanted to see the density of the development lowered.
"It's in the (Planned Residential Development zoning) what's recommended and the basic things that we need to have to make a decision," Braswell said. "We don't have it."
Several residents spoke against the project at the meeting, with most citing concerns over traffic and density in the area. Ridgeline Land Planning representative Holt Persinger said that he felt the development was in line with other high-density communities that have been built in the area over the last several years.
Despite that, Persinger said he would be willing to negotiate the number of units down. The initial proposal called for 274 apartment units and 124 attached townhomes. Persinger offered to reduce that to 240 apartments and 100 townhomes, a reduction of 61 total units.
The planning commission voted 3-1 to table the vote, with Gina Pilcher being the only vote against the move. She said she believed the project was too dense for the property, citing concerns over water runoff in the nearby Sherwood Creek.
"When I look at it, we are getting to a point where we have to really start to be smart to keep from overdoing what's already there," Pilcher said. "We need to consider the other residential areas that are already there because there is an issue with the water runoff."
The planning commission is now set to hear the request again at its October 19 meeting. Any vote by the planning commission would send the proposal to the Hall County Commission for a final approval.
It was the second time the project has been tabled by the planning commission. It was previously tabled to allow the developer to make site changes with the upcoming widening of Spout Springs Road in mind.
