Board approves comprehensive design standards for South Forsyth
News December 4, 2020
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved comprehensive design standards for any new commercial development in south Forsyth Thursday, the goal of which is to ensure high-quality new development.
The standards also apply to all redevelopment or expanded sites where more than 25 percent of the disturbed area is affected. Schools, churches, clubs, lodges and instructional studios are exempt. Open houses were held in January and February to present the proposed standards and invite public participation.
New landscape and pedestrian standards require the front landscape (between the road and parking spaces) be 15 feet wide for roads 4-lanes or wider and 8 feet for roads no wider than 2 lanes. Landscape between parking spaces and the store-front sidewalk must be 8 feet. Outdoor amenities such as benches and trash receptacles must be placed every 100 feet.
Parking lots are required to have at least one landscaped island for every 10 parking spaces. At least one electric charging station is required for all parking lots with a minimum of 100 parking spaces. Nine percent must have a charging infrastructure but no charger.
Fencing material and retaining walls must be constructed of brick, stone or textured concrete and no higher than 20 feet.
Some outdoor displays are prohibited such as tires, automotive parts, kennels, sheds, pre-made structure. Self-storage facilities can be no more than three stories.
With regard to lighting, neon lights and LED lighting around windows are prohibited.
“I’m very pleased with what I see,” said Chairwoman Laura Semanson. “I think it will help drive a better sense of community pride to have all these things working together.”
The Board also unanimously approved motions to:
- Amend Chapters 3, 10, 11, 15, 16, and 21 of the Unified Development Code to allow property owners to keep backyard chickens within certain zoning categories;
- Allow an alternate design at 320 Peachtree Parkway, Cumming to allow conformity to the overlay that was in place when the building was being constructed rather than the current warehouse district;
- A county-Initiated variance request to reduce the wait time to further divide land within a minor subdivision from three years to three days and to reduce the wait time to subdivide property abutting land that has been previously divided as a minor subdivision from three years to three days;
- An amendment of Zoning Conditions on ZA3791 regarding a front porch requirement (Meritage Homes of Georgia, Inc.) by Toll Bros. Inc.
- Extend the moratorium on the receipt of land disturbance permit applications for Res4, Res6, and Res3 multi-family and single-family attached products, to include the possible allowance for certain exceptions from the moratorium.
The Board postponed
- ZA3807, CBD & A1 to MPD;
The Board took no action on :
- The Forsyth County Tree Protection and Replacement Ordinance, Forsyth County Ordinance 98;
- The Forsyth County Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance, Forsyth County Ordinance.
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Forsyth County Roads and Bridges employees are often the first first-responders
News November 23, 2020
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – The Forsyth County Engineering Departments Roads and Bridges Division workers are rarely considered first responders. But when a weather-related disaster like Hurricane Zeta strikes, they are called on to clear roads of fallen trees and debris so police, fire and emergency vehicles can to do their job.
They are not the county’s highest-paid employees, but they are among the most dedicated, responding even in the dark of night at the height of a storm’s fury. When trees and power lines are falling, these workers are on the job. When snow is piling up high, they are clearing the roads and spreading salt to make driving safer. When roads are washed out, they are placing barricades to prevent accidents.
In October as Zeta devastated the county, the 57 men and women of Roads and Bridges logged 357 overtime hours and responded to 149 work orders, removing trees from roadways working to unclog culverts, and clear storm drains.
Chairwoman Laura Semanson recognized the unselfish devotion of the Roads and Bridges employees at Thursday’s meeting.
“A lot of times we don’t recognize the value of our Roads and Bridges team brings to the county,” she said. “They truly are on the front lines every time we face a situation like that. So, I think it’s important that we take a moment to recognize and applaud their effort. They are a part of the big picture when it comes to being a first responder in times of trouble. I applaud you and thank you for all you do. It is appreciated by this Board and our community.”
Commissioners nix warehouse on Windermere Parkway
News July 12, 2020FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners worked their way through a busy agenda that included a dozen or more public hearings in less than two hours Thursday.
Most of the items passed by unanimous consent. One that did not, however, was a planned commercial use on Windermere Parkway. The applicant, RD Links Investment, LLC proposed an amendment to the zoning condition that would allow a warehouse to be added to a home renovation business on 1.5 acres at the intersection of Windermere Parkway and Towne Club Parkway.
Chairwoman Laura Semanson that in other “upscale neighborhoods” (particularly in Cobb County) the applicant has a showroom without a warehouse. “That was not something they were interested in doing (in the Windermere neighborhood).
She called the addition of a warehouse a “leap too far for Windermere Parkway, a residential corridor with neighborhood-oriented retail. That is the way it was designed to be, a high pedestrian area with children walking to South Forsyth High School and Sharon Elementary.”
Semanson made the motion to deny which was approved unanimously.
Commissioners also considered, but took no action, on the first of two required public hearings on changes to the animal control ordinance. Attorney Molly Esswein addressed the Board, saying, “One of the key motivations on this was to look at the dangerous dog, the responsible dog ownership laws the state has and coordination with our ordinance to make sure that animal services had all the tools that they need to go out and protect the public and make sure they can make those key determinations about when to classify a dog as dangerous or vicious.”
The proposed changes include a new section that deals with neglected animals and allows animal control officers to look at a case that might not necessarily rise to the level of cruelty, but may still have an impact on how animals are being treated.
Commissioners unanimously approved an amendment that allows breweries and distilleries to apply for a conditional use permit to operate in the M1 zoning district.
The Board approved by a 4-1 vote – with Commissioner Todd Levent opposed increasing the maximum building height from 50 feet to 90 feet at the Georgia Stone Products site at 4870 Leland Drive. All other votes received unanimous approval.
Commissioners also held a second public hearing on the proposed millage rate for 2021. The third public hearing will be held July 23.
Commissioner Dennis Brown read a proclamation declaring the Board’s support and appreciation for law enforcement at the local, State and federal level, and applauded their commitment to selfless service on behalf of Forsyth County, the State of Georgia and the nation.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com