The Hall County Board of Commissioners denied on Thursday a controversial boat and R-V storage proposal at their voting session.
Applicants Dean and Heather Snyder wanted to build the 7.54-acre storage facility on the east side of Steve Black Road. They said north Hall County is underserved in its availability of boat and R-V storage spaces, and that they had to store their boat 45 minutes away from their home.
The Hall County Planning Commission had recommended approval for this development at their June 6 meeting. However, the commission included a condition that the storage facility needed to have its entrance on U.S. 129.
The Georgia Department of Transportation did not agree with this condition due to safety concerns.
“Mainly, the site itself won't be able to support proper driveway spacing to ensure safe access, nor will it be able to do interval view movements inside the property potentially causing queues onto the state route,” Dean Snyder said. “Additionally, sight distance may be limited because of where we would have to put the entrance. So folks coming from the north won't have enough sight distance in that direction.”
At the recommendation of the GDOT, the Snyders wanted to eliminate this condition and return to their original access plan onto Steve Black Road.
One resident, Christy Young, spoke in favor of the development, but five residents spoke in opposition.
Young said it was a challenge to find a facility to park her motorhome.
“I would greatly love to have something closer and nice,” Young said.
However, those in opposition were concerned about the traffic, noise, and light that the facility could generate. They also said the development could lower the property value of nearby $1 million-valued homes.
“I know my property is over a million dollars right now where I'm at,” nearby resident William Beard said. “I would not like to have like a boat blocking my entrance coming in and out off S Black Road. It needs to be entered from 129.”
Beard also pointed out that the property has a nearby creek, and oil and sewage from the R-Vs could leak into the water.
“If it is allowed, I would like it that there's some type of stipulation that they have that creek tested every year before they get their occupational license again,” Beard said.
Commissioners denied the proposal request, with four in opposition and one in favor.
However, commissioner Shelly Echols said the Snyders could reapply in six months.
“It's inconsistent with the comprehensive land use plan,” Echols said. “And also the site plan that they submitted a week or two ago, and it's still not updated and conforms to the standards we have.”
http://accesswdun.com/article/2022/7/1117325/hall-county-commissioners-deny-boat-and-r-v-storage-facility-on-steve-black-road