FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – The Board of Commissioners held the first public hearing on its plan to build a multi-million dollar sewer infrastructure reserved almost exclusively for non-residential customers last week.

The plan involves spending up to $19,000,000 and would be funded entirely by a portion of the $43.37 million the county received in American Rescue Plan. There were no objections to the plan during the first public comment period but a final vote will not be taken until the second public hearing to be held in two weeks.

County Attorney Ken Jarrard explained, “This divides the infrastructure installation location into six nodes geographically and by tax parcel.” Four of the nodes require that 75 percent of the parcels be served by non-residential users before residential users can hook on. Two of the smaller nodes require 100 percent be reserved for non-residential use.

The plan has drawn strong support from the Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce.

Following public hearings, the Board approved:

• A request for variances to the UDC Section 11-9.6(J)(1) by Toll Brothers, Inc. – Parcels 156-001 and 156-002 – VA210103;
• The request for an Amendment of Zoning Conditions on ZA2699 (Aaron J. Land) by Chris Cowart Properties, LLC and variances to UDC Table 14.2, UDC 14-4.13 and UDC 10-1.10(A)(1) – Parcel 063-057 – AZ210045;
• The request for an Amendment of Zoning Conditions on ZA3675 (United Family Homes, LLC) by United Family Homes, LLC – Parcels 079-010 and 079-003 – AZ210046;
• A County-Initiated Conditional Use Permit to operate a personal care home serving ten persons or less on 5.286 acres currently zoned Lake Residential District (LR) – Parcel 269-041 – CP210044;
• A County-Initiated variance to: 1.) Reduce the landscape strip along Browns Bridge Road from 20 ft. to as low as 0 ft. to allow the installation of Georgia Transmission Corporation utility infrastructure within the required landscape strip (UDC 21-12.5(B)(2)) – Parcel 217-004 – VA210102.

The Board elected Commissioner Molly Cooper to serve as Vice Chairman and Commissioner Todd Levent to serve as Secretary for 2002.