The Hall County Planning Commission on Monday recommended approval of a boat and vehicle sales and repair shop on Browns Bridge Road west of Gainesville.
The property sits at 5303 Browns Bridge Road, covering approximately 1.04 acres of land. Applicant Ali Sadegh plans to use the existing building to lease for a third party to conduct either boat or vehicle sales and repairs. While it was not necessary to rezone the lot, the applicant was seeking a conditional use permit subject to the county commission’s approval. The area is currently zoned as Highway Business and is located in Hall County’s second district, represented by Planning Commission Chair Chris Braswell.
Sadegh requested the flexibility to conduct either boat or vehicle sales and repairs as there is currently no end-user slated for the property. According to his application, both lot layouts for boat or vehicle-based businesses are similar, so allowing for either will make the property easier to market and lease.
Sadegh was represented by Wes Robinson at Monday evening meeting, who said their current goal is to establish business practices that have already been conducted at the site in the past.
“A previous owner or tenant of the property allowed a business license to lapse, and that's why we're here today,” Robinson said. “If you drive out there, you'll see there's a bunch of boats and stuff there now because the previous use of the property was for boat storage and repair and boat sales and repair on the property and that's what we're trying to reestablish here today.”
One local resident spoke in opposition to the application, citing concerns about traffic visibility up and down Browns Bridge Road when large boats or cars are parked along the road-facing edge of the property.
Braswell and Robinson addressed this concern by agreeing to use low-lying shrubs or greenery which will prevent any vehicles from being parked in areas that will block line-of-sight for traffic.
With the Planning Commission’s recommendation for approval, the matter will now go before the Board of Commissioners on May 10.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2023/4/1176661/planning-commission-recommends-approval-of-boat-vehicle-repair-shop