FLOWERY BRANCH – City leaders are considering a rezoning application for one of the last remaining undeveloped parcels in the Sterling on The Lake Subdivision.
Nearly twenty years ago ambitious plans for a 2000-unit subdivision on just over 1000-acres along Spout Springs Road were presented to the Flowery Branch City Council. The developer was requesting annexation and zoning from the city; his requests were approved on November 16, 2001.
Now, as construction in the massive Planned Unit Development is winding down, the applicant wants to change what was planned two decades ago for 12-acres at the intersection of Spout Springs and Capitola Farms Roads into a use that better reflects market realities of 2021.
Applicant NNP-Looper Lake, LLC, would like to use 8.15-acres of the original 12-acres (initially designated as a “Neighborhood Commercial” character area) for the purpose of constructing 65 townhomes. That would, however, push the final count of residential units over the prescribed limit set in 2001.
Flowery Branch Director of Planning and Community Development, Rich Atkinson, said, “This would be eighteen units over what was originally approved.”
According to city documents, extensive marketing of the property for commercial purposes has received limited response and the applicant would like to discontinue that effort and use the acreage to construct 3-story townhomes instead. Those city documents site lack of direct access onto Spout Springs Road as a mitigating factor in the lack of commercial interest by investors.
Chris Whitaker, Vice President of Operations for NNP-Looper Lake, said plans to use the tract for commercial and retail purposes just haven’t worked out. “It was our hope…and we wouldn’t even be visiting this if we felt it (commercial-retail use) was a viable option…but we only intend to do this as a solution.”
Whitaker stated that the longer the land sits vacant and nearby businesses provide the needs and wants of SOTL residents, the less appeal that limited-access parcel has to investors. “As that piece matures more…we feel it’s going to end up developing into pieces that aren’t going to favor what the residents are looking for.”
Whitaker says building the three-story 65-townhomes involves risking capital to construct the complex, and that his company would prefer to just sell the vacant land to a retail/commercial investor, but the current marketplace does not support that plan of action.
“We would really love to sell it as a commercial piece…but we haven’t…been able to find an adequate buyer,” he added.
Whitaker says the entry price point for the 1400-square feet townhomes is planned at $265,000. He did caution that with rapidly escalating construction costs that number may adjust upward.
First reading of the rezoning application and public comment will officially happen May 20 th; second reading, public comment and final approval is scheduled for June 17th.
