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Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Vol. 16 No. 23 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages
Freshman takes third at state
Jackson County High School freshman Sole Bailey capped a standout
freshman season, taking third in the Class AAAAAA state meet on
Saturday PAGE 6A
Drift weekend
Scenes from Drift Atlanta, which returned to the
Braselton area this past weekend
PAGE 6A
Hoschton
Local developer
interested in
renovating former
garage property
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
A Braselton developer is
interested in a partnership
with Hoschton leadership
to renovate one of the city's
key downtown structures.
Matt Ruppel addressed
the Hoschton Downtown
Development Authority
(DDA) Monday (May 8)
with general ideas, includ
ing multiple restaurants, for
the former Larry’s Garage
property on Hwy. 53 and
West Broad St.
Ruppel, whose past proj
ects have included the Bra
selton Brewing Company
and Cotton Calf Kitchen in
Braselton, asked the DDA
to allow him 90 days to
present a specific plan.
See Building, page 3A
Photo by Ben Munro
Hoschton officials may have another option re
garding the future of the former Larry’s Garage
property in downtown Hoschton. The city owns
the property.
Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office
Hoschton burglaries
reported, man arrested
Jackson County Sheriff’s
Office (JCSO) deputies ar
rested a Lilbum man Thurs
day (May 11) for burglary
and entering multiple vehi
cles in Hoschton. A home
break-in in Hoschton fol
lowed two days later, and the
suspect remains at large.
See Arrest, page 2A Magana-Albino
Hoschton Spring
Festival ahead May 20
The City of Hoschton will The event will feature mul-
host its spring festival May 20 tiple craft and food vendors
on City Square, Saturday, May and dress up characters for
20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. kids.
Hoschton
Photo by Ben Munro
Hoschton residents filled up city hall quickly on Thursday (May 11) for public hearings over annex
ations and rezoning requests that could bring two large subdivisions into the city. The remainder
of the overflow crowd was seated in an adjacent room.
‘Slow the grow 9
Hoschton residents oppose large developments during public hearing
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
Hoschton residents pushed
back last week against a pair
of proposed developments
that would bring over 1,400
homes and a shopping cen
ter to the city — if approved
— accusing the applicants
of forcing unwanted housing
NEXT PUBLIC HEARING
•June 15, 6 p.m., 65 City
Square, Hoschton (New
Hoschton City Hall).
developments on them.
The Hoschton City Coun
cil took no action Monday
(May 15) on annexations and
rezoning requests needed for
the proposed projects due to
insufficient notice provid
ed to allow Jackson County
leaders to object to the an
nexation requests.
The council will potential
ly vote on the matters on June
19 instead, following an addi
tional public hearing on June
15 (6 p.m.) at Hoschton’s
new city hall complex.
One of the proposed proj
ects would add over 1,000
homes to the city and a shop
ping complex, while the oth
er would bring 399 homes
into Hoschton.
See Hearing, page 12A
South Hall
Corn maze proposed for South Hall,
but planners table recommendation
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
Two Buford residents
seek to open a corn maze
and pumpkin patch attrac
tion on just over 17 acres
in the southern portion
of Hall County on Lanier
Islands Pkwy., but Hall
County planners want
more details about the ap
plicant's plans.
The proposed site
is 5351 Lanier Islands
Pkwy., 0.2 miles from the
intersection of Gainesville
Hwy.
The proposal requires
a conditional use approv
al from the Hall County
Board of Commissioners
(BOC). The Hall Coun
ty Planning Commission,
however, on Monday
(May 15) tabled its recom
mendation to the BOC to
See Planners, page 3A
MAILING LABEL
VETERAN SUPPORT
Photo by Ben Munro
HOPS AND HEROES
Braselton Brewing Company, LLC, hosted Saturday’s (May 13) “Hops and Heroes” fundraising event
for Brothers Keeper Veteran Foundation (BKVF), an organization devoted to raising awareness of
and destigmatizing military-based mental health issues. Braselton Brewing Company donated 20%
of its sales Saturday to BKVF. Pictured (L to R) are Jamie Kimbrough, J.T. Shaffer, Chris Cathers,
Zach Haines, Luke Henderson, Suzanne Thomas and Jennifer Cathers.
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