The Hall County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday night in favor of a shopping center that was previously withdrawn by the applicant earlier this year.
The motion to approve the development was put forward by Commissioner Gregg Poole, who represents District 3 in Hall County.
Additional conditions were placed on the property as well, including a readjustment of the right-in-right-out entrance and exit and limitations on the type of businesses allowed at the location. Specifically, Poole noted that he did not want any vape or tattoo shops at the development, which is slated to host a grocery store, gas station and restaurant.
Original story published Sept. 18 at 8:30 p.m.:
The Hall County Planning Commission voted Monday night in favor of recommending a shopping center that was previously withdrawn by the applicant earlier this year.
The proposed suburban shopping center sits at 4053 Cleveland Highway near Jim Hood Road. The applicant, now listed as Donnie Hunt on county documents, is aiming to rezone 6.34 acres from Agricultural Residential to Suburban Shopping District.
Plans for the area include a grocery store, convenience store, a gas station and a restaurant.
The proposed shopping center will include 11,000 square feet of grocery store space, while the restaurant will be approximately 4,000 square feet.
Hall County Planning Staff previously recommended approval of the rezoning, citing that plans are consistent with the “Community Crossroad future land use classification,” which is intended to maintain and create access to local goods and services at major intersections throughout the community.
The item originally came before the Planning Commission in Nov. 2022, where a recommendation of approval was granted. It then went before the Board of Commissioners, where it was put on hold three different times with concerns for traffic studies, signage visibility issues and entry and exit point concerns.
Commissioner Gregg Poole had also expressed the need for a deceleration lane to be built at one of the entrances to the shopping center.
The applicant, previously listed as Reginald Crayton, P.E., then withdrew the application in May.
Following a resubmitted application with updated site plans, the Planning Commission gave their approval recommendation Monday night. That vote will now be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners for a final decision on Oct. 26.