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Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy Wednesday, June 14, 2023 Vol. 16 No. 27 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages Grants awarded The Jackson EMC Foundation recently awarded grants to multiple Braselton-area agencies PAGE 3A New coach Nick Pou has been named Jackson County High School’s new baseball coach PAGE 10A Hoschton Major developments getting a second public hearing in Hoschton Two proposed develop ments will get rare a sec ond round of public hear ings. The Hoschton Council will hold the additional hearings Thursday, June 15 (6 p.m.) at Hoschton’s new city hall community center (65 City Square) for annexations and rezon ing requests for two pro posed large-scale develop ments. Providence Group of Georgia and Rocklyn Homes seek the annex ation and zoning changes for the respective projects, See Hearings, page 12A Braselton Ward named to Joint Study Committee on Service Delivery Strategy Lt. Governor Brut Jones announced on Monday (June 12) the appointment of Braselton Mayor Kurt Ward to the state’s Joint Study Com mittee on Service Deliv ery Strategy. The first-term mayor will join Senator Frank Ginn (R - Danielsville, Ward chairman), Senator Max See Ward, page 12A West Jackson Man found dead off Hwy. 124 last week from self-inflicted gunshot wound A man was found dead off police and the Georgia Bureau Hwy. 124 near Hoschton last of Investigation (GBI). week from a reported self-in- While assisting Doraville flicted gunshot wound, while a police last week, a Jack- person remains missing in what son County Sheriffs Office appears to be a related case un- (JCSO) deputy found the de- der investigation by Doraville See Body, page 3A INSIDE Local students recognized at multiple colleges PAGE 6A INDEX News ... 1A-3A, 12A Opinion ... 4A Public safety... 5A Social.. 6A School... 7A Obituaries... 8A Sports... 10A Classifieds... 11A IN WITH THE NEW USING THE NEW SPACE The Hoschton Downtown Development Authority (DDA) on Monday (June 12) held its first meeting inside Hoschton’s new city hall complex. NEW COMMUNITY ROOM Hoschton Down town Development Authority (DDA) Director Jessica Greene (left) and Hoschton City Manager Jennifer Kidd-Harrison pose for a photo in the community room of the new Hoschton City Hall Complex. Photos by Ben Munro Braselton Del Webb decision on hold By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com A decision on the proposed expansion of Del Webb at Chateau Elan is on hold fol lowing nearly three months of extensive and, at times, tense public discussion over the matter. The applicant, PulteGroup, requested the Braselton Town Council defer its vote to its July meeting. Pulte’s expan sion plans would add 345 homes. To move forward with those plans, Pulte seeks an annexation and a planned unit development (PUD) zoning for 14.61 acres in Gwinnett County and adjustments to the original master plan ap proved in 1999. Pulte plans to develop 28 homes on the annexation tract as a continuation of the 55-and-up, age-restricted Del Webb at Chateau Elan. The annexation tract would con nect the existing Del Webb at Chateau Elan with two other parcels, already within the town limits, to construct 255 more homes. Pulte also proposes a stand-alone devel opment of 62 John Wieland homes. Pulte’s plans original ly came before the public during a March Braselton Planning Commission meet ing and again in April after the planning board tabled its recommendation for a month. It advised denial of Pulte’s re quests. The postponement of the council's vote followed a lengthy Thursday (June 8) public hearing and work See Expansion, page 3A MAILING LABEL o Downtown Braselton Beer fest in Braselton? DDA considering one in 2024 By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews. com Though they’re still in the early planning stage, Bra selton Downtown Devel opment Authority (DDA) members hope to debut a town beer festival in 2024. The DDA touched on the idea briefly during its Thursday (June 8) meeting, though the DDA’s organi zational committee had pre viously discussed the topic more in-depth. The DDA looks to estab lish the festival as an annual fundraiser. It is still consid ering a potential date for 2024 but wants to host the event on the town green. “I’m pretty excited about what that could turn into,” DDA member Mitch Chap man said. Chapman said a beer fes tival could generate more funds than the DDA’s Toast to Braselton, the organi zation’s top money maker. He also noted nearby cities hosting beer festivals. “It is interesting to see how other (cities), Suwanee and Gainesville, how some of the other places do it,” Chapman said. DDA member Chip Dale, who owns Braselton Brew ing Company, has already done some preliminary work toward a potential event. “The more I dive into it, the more I think it’s doable,” Dale said. The beer festival would replace the DDA’s Zombie Run 5K, which the DDA has dropped from its fund raising schedule. The DDA, however, discussed the pos sibility of hosting a 5K in the future if it can find an other course. OTHER NEWS In other discussions, the DDA: •reviewed a proposed $109,295 budget for Fis cal Year 2024. The DDA is slated to vote on the bud get Thursday (June 15) at 11 a.m. •recommended to the city council the reappointment See Beer, page 3A