The Hall County Planning Commission recommended approval Tuesday for a large residential development on Price Road near Thompson Bridge Road.
The developers, Rochester and Associates, are looking to rezone more than 60 acres of land on the north side of Price Road to Planned Residential Development. Their plans are to build more than 200 residential units with the current proposal showing 60 detached single-family homes and just over 140townhomes.
The Hall County Commission will get the final vote on the rezoning at its meeting on October 13.
The county's planning staff had recommended denial of the rezoning due to the proposed density being over the county's maximum allowed density of two units per acre. Brian Rochester told the planning commission that he believes the development would be a good fit for the area despite that density.
Rochester cited the fact that the property is sandwiched between single-family residential developments and a large apartment and townhome project that was recently approved.
"Lanier Village (near the proposed rezoning) is a great development, but it didn't meet the comprehensive plan either when it was approved," Rochester said. "3.35 units per acre is a good step coming down from very intense commercial, townhomes and apartments to single-family and townhomes."
Several residents spoke against the project, but the planning commission recommended approval unanimously. Planning Commission Chairman Chris Braswell said after the meeting that he agreed with Rochester's point about the project serving as transitional zoning.
"I think that it's a natural transition from a higher density down to a lower density for that type of product," Braswell said.
