GAINESVILLE – Final approval was given by the Hall County Commission Thursday evening to a pair of separate applications that will finally bring development to 58.5-acres that has been cleared and graded for a decade, but never built-out, at the intersection of Price and Thompson Bridge Roads.
Although Fuqua Acquisitions’ commercial plans and The Revive Land Group’s residential plans are from distinctly different entities, the projects they are embarking on are designed to work in symphony.
The parcels were originally approved for mixed-use development in 2006, never developed, and then granted amended zoning in 2013. Land disturbance permits were issued, the site was cleared and graded, but that’s as far as construction went.
Various approved plans since the initial 2006 application have included townhomes, single-family home sites, 299,000-square feet of commercial space, apartments, and 316,000-square feet of commercial space; none of the proposals progressed further than the land disturbance phase.
Neville Allison, Managing Partner of The Revive Land Group, told county commissioners his opinion as to why the site has sat undeveloped for so many years. “It’s always been designated ‘an activity center’ within your Comprehensive Plan…with mixed use development…and I think that is where this site has struggled to find itself,” Allison suggested.
“At first it was too much commercial, then it came back through and it was too much residential,” Allison continued. “I think we have found that correct mix of residential and commercial.”
He then pointed to the county’s requirement for 30-percent of a project to be open space in any Planned Residential Development. “We actually have 53-percent open space, which I can’t believe. That’s a massive amount,” Allison said.
The residential neighborhood will be named “Somerset at Riverbrook Townhomes”.
Jeff Fuqua, presenting the commercial side of the two applications, told commissioners about the overall projects, “We did a traffic study and the trips generated are about 37-percent less than they were under the last zoning.”
“This was originally zoned for 316,000-square feet of retail. I think Walmart was looking at this site. Now it’s an 85,000-square feet…neighborhood grocery store,” Fuqua said.
He added that the grocery store aspect is needed for the area. “The Kroger is so busy down the road; it’s a super-high volume Kroger, almost too high volume for the store size, and the area really does need another grocery store.”
The commercial portion of the development will be known as “Riverbrook Marketplace” and will have two outparcels available for development in addition to the grocery store. Fuqua said the outparcels would be marketed as restaurant locations.
Only one person spoke in opposition to either of the two applications. Residents from nearby Lanier Village Estates, an age-restricted retirement community across the intersection from the project, were in the audience but did not make comment. According to commissioners the residents of that community were initially concerned about the size of the project but had been able to work out their concerns with both applicants.
The two applications were voted on separately but both were given a unanimous approval with conditions.
POPLAR PRINGS ROAD DEVELOPMENT OKAYED
A 3-1 approval was given to a rezoning application from Forestar Real Estate Group, LLC, allowing for the construction of a single-family development on 96.44-acres at the intersection of Poplar Springs and Poplar Springs Church Roads.
After comment form several area residents expressing concern about stormwater runoff issues the application was approved with enhanced storm water management requirements as well as numerous other conditions and restrictions.
Commissioner Shelly Echols cast the lone dissenting vote; Commission Chairman Richard Higgins was absent from the meeting and did not vote.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2021/12/1062238/hall-county-commission-okays-residential-developments