Planning Commission recommends denial of North Point development – with an asterisk
News June 29, 2022
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — After a 45-minute discussion and four separate motions, the Planning Commission voted Tuesday to send the Board of Commissioners a recommendation of denial of Northpoint Capital Investment Holdings, LLC’s request to rezone 140 acres on Fowler Hill Road and Union Hill Road — but with a note requesting it be returned to the commission for additional work.
Jessica Thorsen
Commissioners felt they were close to an agreement with the residents of neighboring communities and the developer but needed more time. The county attorney said the Unified Development Code required a recommendation at Tuesday’s meeting.
Northpoint requested rezoning from Neighborhood Shopping Center (A1) and Single-Family Residential (R2R) to Master Planned District for 250 residential lots with 228 attached residential units and 63,650 square feet of commercial and 294 parking spaces.
Following a public hearing and negotiations with neighbors, commissioners believed they had an agreement on a density of 3.28 units per acre. However the developer concluded it could not do the project with a density of less than 3.4 units per acre, the difference being about 40 residential units.
“I think we’re close to an agreement — may have an agreement — but I’m not sure the people understand what they are agreeing to,” said Commissioner Nedal Shawkat. “I feel like we’re not in a good place to make a recommendation right now and with the time limitation we are backed into a corner.”
Commissioner Jessica Thorsen, who worked with developers, stakeholders and Commissioner Todd Levent on the project, wanted to recommend approval. She questioned whether it was worth the risk of losing an important development for the sake of 40 housing units.
She made a motion for approval, but it died for the lack of a second. After two more motions failed, she recommend denial with a note to commissioners to return it to the Planning Commission for additional work.
Planning Commission debates standards for conservation subdivisions
Featured Stories August 18, 2021
Jessica Thorsen
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – The Taylor Morrison Georgia, LLC application for rezoning 78.80 acres of land from A-1 to Res 2 Conservation Subdivision for the purpose of developing 93 residential lots generated a lengthy discussion about the definition of a conservation subdivision at Tuesday’s Planning Commission work session.
All four of the commissioners who attended the meeting said the application fails to meet the requirements for a conservation subdivision.
Commissioner Jessica Thorsen said, “I look at the purpose and intent section and I don’t feel like this meets it. It might meet the letter of the language, but I don’t think it meets the intent.”
Tim Dineen
Commissioner Tim Dineen said that 85 percent of the lots must abutt the open space, conservation spaces must be at least 25 feet wide and add up to a total of five acres. He agreed with Thorsen. “It complies with the letter of the law.” The property resides in his district and he indicated that he may ask for a postponement at the next meeting.
Commissioner Nedal Shawkat agreed but added, “We have a good builder who is sincere and is willing to work with us and get this right. Their design team is going to meet with Kerry ( Hill) and I and try to come up with something better.”
Commissioners also discussed a series of Unified Development Code modifications, including those related to dumpsters in residential districts and construction hours for concrete pours.
Proposed modification to construction hours would permit administrative approval of concrete pours outside regular hours. A request for after-hours pours must be approved by the Director of the Department of Building and Economic Development. Only projects with active commercial building permits would be eligible to apply.
The proposed modification that pertains to dumpsters would state that organic material capable of rotting can only remain on site for 30 days. Inert debris, construction and demolition waste can remain on site for 90 days. Also, the dumpsters would be permitted only under the following circumstances: Only when associated with an active building or land disturbance permit; Screened from view from all property lines.