The Hall County Board of Commissioners Thursday voted on a resolution objecting to the annexation of the property where the Buford Corn Maze currently sits.
The vote came as part of the Commissioner’s consent agenda after being workshopped at a session earlier this week.
The County’s annexation objection decision will now go to the Buford City Commission, which is holding a public hearing on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. at Buford City Hall.
Original story published Jan. 8 at 6:00 p.m.:
The Hall County Board of Commissioners Thursday will vote on a resolution objecting to the annexation of the property where the Buford Corn Maze currently sits.
Property owner Chris Watford submitted the annexation request to the City of Buford, intending to obtain a commercial zoning for 30.98 acres of land located at 4470 Bennett Road, according to documents submitted to Hall County.
The parcel is currently zoned commercial in Hall County, however, a successful annexation would bring that parcel into the jurisdiction of the City of Buford.
The Hall County Board of Commissioners can object to the annexation with a majority vote.
Specifically, the parcel is currently zoned Agricultural-Residential III and Suburban Shopping within Hall County. Watford is seeking to shift that into a C-2 General Business District and ultimately to an M-1 Industrial District within Buford city limits.
Hall County’s objection dictates the shift in zoning would bring about a substantially different use of the property than allowed for the current zoning in the long term, making it inconsistent with the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan, according to the resolution.
Additionally, the county believes a different zoning would not fit in with the several small retail establishments and heavy residential presence seen in the area.
Watford stated in his application that “the corn maze is not the highest and best use of land” as reasoning for a shift to the ultimate goal of an M-1 Industrial District zoning.
Under either zoning decision, the Buford Corn Maze would be able to operate through the duration of its lease, which currently runs through 2027.
The Hall County Board of Commissioners will vote on their objection to the annexation and rezoning on Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. at the Hall County Government Center.
The Buford City Commission will host a public hearing and take action on the annexation and rezoning on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. at Buford City Hall.
