FORSTH COUNTY, Ga. – It has taken five years, but a proposed McFarland Parkway mixed-use development featuring 67 townhomes and 44,000 square feet of commercial buildings may finally get an up or down vote when the Board of Commissioners meets Thursday (Apr. 15) at 5 p.m. in the County Administration Building.

Liu Investment Partners, LLLP has requested the Board rezone the 18.534 acres located at 100 McFarland Parkway from Commercial Business District (CBD), Office and Institutional District (O&I) and Single Family Residential District (R1) to Master Planned District (MPD).

If approved, the property would have 67 attached residential units with a density of 3.62 units per acre and proposed commercial buildings with 233 parking spaces. The developer has indicated here will be a number of amenities like walking trails, a playground and picnic area. The Planning Commission recommended approval by a 4-1 vote with Stacy Guy opposed.

The Board will hold the following public hearings:

• An alcohol license to sell malt beverages (beer) and wine for consumption on the premises for Moto Asian Cuisine Inc. located at 655 Atlanta Highway;
• A request for an alcohol license to have a farm winery on the premises for Stoney J’s Farm and Orchard, LLC dba Stoney J’s located at 1506 Stoney Point Road;
• A request for an alcohol license to sell malt beverages (beer) and wine for consumption on the premises for Southern Grit + Grace, LLC dba Board and Brush located at 6655 Town Square, Suite 1210;
• A request for an alcohol license to sell malt beverages (beer), wine, and distilled spirits by the package on the premises for Robert J. Russell, III, Inc. dba Red Barn Package Store located at 4310 Settendown Village Road;
• A request for an alcohol license to sell malt beverages (beer), wine, and distilled spirits for consumption on the premises for La Mara XVI, Inc. dba Laredos Taqueria and Grill located at 5310 Matt Highway, Suite 101;
• The County-Initiated request for agritourism and agricultural sales on 25.4 acres currently zoned Agricultural District (A1) – Parcels 291-043 and 291-044 – CP210006;
• The County-Initiated variance request to: 1.) Reduce the exterior setback from 50 ft. to 15 ft. adjacent to the +/- 6.0 acre outparcel proposed to be subdivided from the property which is proposed to remain zoned A1 and as shown on the submitted concept plan on file with the County (UDC Table 11.2(b)); 2.) Reduce the exterior buffer from 25 ft. to 0 ft. adjacent to the +/- 6.0 acre outparcel proposed to be subdivided from the property which is proposed to remain zoned A1 and as shown on the submitted concept plan on file with the County (UDC Table 11.2(b)) – Parcel 169-135 – 5690 Hendrix Road, Cumming;
• Amendments to Chapters 3, 8, 11, 16, 18, and 21 related to light pole height variance within the Unified Development Code of Forsyth County – Planning Manager, Department of Planning and Community Development; (9) Public Hearing and possible vote regarding amendments to Chapter 19 related to conservation subdivisions within the Unified Development Code of Forsyth County – Planning Manager, Department of Planning and Community Development;
• Amendments to Chapters 3, 10, 11, 15, 16, and 21 related to backyard chickens within the Unified Development Code of Forsyth County – Planner II, Department of Planning and Community Development.Under Old Business, the Board will consider:

• A request to operate a 1,636 sq. ft. short-term rental unit for six overnight guests with 3 parking spaces on one acre currently zoned Agricultural District located at 3930 Aaron Sosebee Road, Cumming;
• A request to rezone from Agricultural District (A1) to Single Family Residential District (RES2) on 11.16 acres for eight residential lots with a density of .72 units per acre with the following variance to: 1.) Eliminate the 5,000 ft. sewer distance requirement to facilitate the use of an on-site septic disposal system (UDC 18-5.18). Property is located at 7010, 7012, 7014, 7016, 7024, and 7026 Dickerson Road. The property is also located immediately north of property known as 7014 Dickerson Road;
• A request to operate an open storage yard with 82 parking spaces with an existing 2,479 sq. ft. accessory office on 2.71 acres currently zoned Agricultural District located at 5060 Dawsonville Highway and 7835 Knight Road, Gainesville;
• Ratification and enactment of an emergency temporary moratorium, imposed on April 6, 2021, to bar all rezoning applications (until May 7, 2021) to the Res6 zoning designation, where the requested density for such rezoning is to a density that is greater than 4 units per acre.