The Hall County Commission on Thursday approved two rezoning requests, one of which would pave the way for a 242 unit apartment development on Athens Highway near Gillsville Highway.
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the rezoning request from applicant Michael Twiner. The request involved changing the 22.03-acre tract to planned residential development from suburban shopping.
While the applicant originally proposed the development would contain 330 units, that number was brought down to 242 units due to conditions from the Hall County Planning Commission.
Speaking on behalf of the applicant, attorney Steven Gilliam said of the 242 units, 44% will be one-bedroom, 48% will be two-bedroom and 8% will be three-bedroom.
The community will be gated with two entrances. It will also feature a 20-foot landscaping buffer along Athens Highway
Gilliam said the applicant believes this development will be a vital piece of workforce housing for the surrounding area.
"It's important that counties and governments, when they look at workforce housing, they actually move the workforce housing out to where the jobs are, and that's what this is," Gilliam said.
The rezoning did not evoke any opposition during a public hearing.
A new rental community on Spout Springs Road
The commission approved a second rezoning request at their Thursday meeting, which will allow for the construction of a 58-unit rental community on Spout Springs Road near Lancaster Crossing.
Applicant Rabun Gap Holding requested to rezone the 20.67-acre tract from planned commercial farm district to planned residential development, which the commission approved unanimously.
The proposal started as 95 homes with a density of about 4.6 units per acre but was eventually brought down to 58 homes with a density of about 2.86 units per acre.
The applicant also adjusted the layout, removing all one-bedroom units. The two-bedroom units will be about 1,080 square feet, while the three-bedroom units will be about 1,200 square feet.
The development will also be gated with no on-street parking, unlike what was presented in the original proposal.
The rezoning did not evoke any opposition during a public hearing.
Commissioners deny rezoning for five homes on Union Church Road
The Hall County Commission did unanimously deny a rezoning request that would have allowed for a five-lot subdivision on Union Church Road.
The five homes would have been located on a 5.02-acre tract near Oliver Road. Applicant Viktor Vlad said the homes would have had sale prices ranging from $700,000 to $900,000.
The denial came after four nearby residents spoke in opposition of the rezoning during the public hearing. The residents cited concerns about traffic safety, as well as health concerns related to the use of septic tanks on the five proposed properties.
Commissioner Kathy Cooper made the motion to deny the request, saying the road surrounding the proposed development was a concern of hers.
