Newspaper Page Text
The Braselton News
Page 12A
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
o
o
Planners continued from l A
Developments continued from lA
County Planning Commis
sion Chairman Chris Bras
well, an issue with the post
ing of signage related to the
application required tabling
of the item.
The com maze and pump
kin patch require conditional
use approval from the Hall
County Board of Commis
sioners (BOC), which won’t
consider this request until
Aug. 24 now.
The proposed site is 5351
Lanier Islands Pkwy., 0.2
miles from the intersec
tion of Gainesville Hwy.
Applicants Chad Bell and
Keith Bell seek to open an
agri-entertainment business
featuring a three-acre com
maze, pumpkin patch, wag
on rides, children’s activities
and a walk-through Christ
mas light tour. Other features
would include a jumping pil
low, a playground, a com pit,
a picnic area and wagon-ride
farm tours of the property.
The Hall County Planning
Commission heard initially
from Chad Bell on May 15
but considered the plan too
vague to make a recommen
dation, voting to table the
item.
Hall County’s planning
staff has recommended de
nial of the proposal, con
tending that the business is
inconsistent with the future
land use classification of the
Lake Area Residential char
acter area in the county’s
comprehensive plan.
Arrest continued from lA
Malinguaggio tinned
himself in on June 6 when
HCSO criminal inves
tigators issued an arrest
warrant after forensic
testing of his cell phone
uncovered 20 separate
images of child sexual
abuse material (CSAM)
on the device. The phone
was seized when the sus
pect was arrested in Jan
uary on child sex abuse
charges.
School continued from lA
Jackson Primary School.
NHA, a Michigan-based
oiganization that has part
nered with 100 charter
schools nationally, is entering
into a licensing agreement
with the Town of Braselton to
study the building in hopes of
securing a lease agreement for
the facility.
NHA proposes to remodel,
use and maintain the Hwy. 53
building for the K-8 school,
paying Braselton an annu
al lease of approximately
$100,000. It seeks a lease of at
least 40 years.
If all required approvals
are secured, NSG and NHA
look to open Four Points Pre
paratory Academy in August
2024. That process would
not only include obtaining the
charter and reaching a lease
agreement but a host of other
steps, such as gaining approv
al for any possible rezoning
requirements, determining
traffic flow, drop-off and pick
up plans and reaching agree
ments for the use of the gym
and ballfields. The ballfields
are owned partially by both
Hoschton and Braselton. Bra
selton owns the gym.
According to Estabrooke,
the group hopes to have a
school leader named by late
2023 and start renovation in
the fall, with student signup
starting in early 2024.
As of late May, more than
150 families had signed up
for information about Four
Points Preparatory Academy
through the school’s website.
7.4 acres.
JJie property currently holds an agricul
tural-rural fann district (A-2) zoning in Jack-
son County.
Additionally, Providence Group asks to
rezone 84.46 acres contiguous to the pro
posed annexation tract from agricultural
district to PUD. Of that acreage, 58.86 acres
are owned by Sell and front East Jefferson
St., while 17.86 acres are owned by West
Jackson, LLC, and front both East Jefferson
St. and West Jackson Rd.
On Hoschton’s southern border, Rocklyn
Homes requests annexation and rezoning of
287.14 acres owned by Mary Ann Kenerly
and New Hope AME Church along Hwy.
53 from an agricultural-rural fann district
to a planned unit development (PUD) for a
major mixed-use development of 651 sin
gle-family lots and 404 townhome units.
Die project calls for 3.6 acres of civic
space with a possible amphitheater and 5.5
acres of church expansion. Die developer
has also offered the county school system
“pad-ready” property on the site at a be-
low-market price to build a school. Die
school would be located in a space Rocklyn
originally planned for a large shopping cen
ter. It will also donate 3.3 acres for a public
safety complex. Die development’s ameni
ties would include a dog park, clubhouse,
flrepits, a lake with a dock and paddle board
ing, and walking trails.
City planner Jerry Weitz has recommend
ed denial of both projects, citing the impact
on public facilities and services in particular,
for both proposals. Concerning Rocklyn’s
proposal, he said the city doesn’t have a wa
ter and sewer plan to service 1,055 residenc
es, as well as commercial space.
SECOND PUBLIC HEARING
Both proposals were discussed at length
during a second round of public hearings
held Diursday (June 15) at the city’s new
city hall community room. Die addition
al hearings were granted, in part, to allow
more people to attend the hearings than
space allowed during May hearings held in
the cramped quarters of Hoschton’s old city
hall. Diursday’s hearings drew a capacity
crowd to the much larger facility.
Opponents again criticized both projects
for potential impacts on traffic, schools,
public services and crime the developments
could cause.
“We’re the ones that are going to be left
with the mess when they (the developers)
are gone and made their millions ... we
must slow the grow,” resident Janet Davis
said while speaking on the Providence pro
posal.
Resident Christina Brown, wearing a
#slowthegrow t-shirt, spoke against both
proposals with a list of concerns, including
the potential impact on the city’s wastewater
capabilities and water supply. She also ques
tioned the upcoming arbitration.
“We could vote no right now, and it
wouldn’t go to arbitration,” she said. “Why
are we paying for the arbitration? It doesn’t
benefit the city. Why are we, in effect, fight
ing for it?”
Resident Brittany Dozier opposed both
developers’ plans due largely to school
crowding and law enforcement concerns
while dismissing pitches made by both ap
plicants.
“You can put lipstick on a pig all day, and
it’s still a pig,” she said.
Resident Mike Cope asked the council to
consider tabling the matter until the council
has filled its empty seats. Two councilmem-
bers, Adam Ledbetter and Scott Mims, re
signed earlier this year, while Mayor Lauren
O’Leary plans to resign from her post due to
an upcoming move.
Representatives of both developers de
fended their projects.
Providence representatives, in reference
to school crowding concerns, said their de
velopment largely appeals to buyers with
out school-age children. Diey said they
would work with the city to help mitigate
their traffic impacts, including a proposed
roundabout in front of the development. Ad
dressing safety concerns, they said residents
in a gated-community would unlikely bring
crime to the city. Die development’s ame
nities — pool, clubhouse and pickleball —
were also noted.
John Stell, an attorney representing Shan
non Sell, said the county opposes the proj
ects because they fear municipalities gain
ing population and weakening the county’s
share of sales tax dollars.
Sell also spoke and defended the project
for his property, including the quality of the
homes proposed.
“I sought a good, quality developer to
bring a quality product, something I’d be
proud of, something you would be proud of,
something that all residents would be proud
of— a nice, gated community,” said Sell,
who plans to retain a portion of his property
and continue to live at his residence next to
the proposed development.
Meanwhile, representatives of Rocklyn
Homes contended that their development
would be “a benefit to the community” due
to the size of the property and scope of the
project. Diey also said it was compatible
with adjacent property uses. Regarding traf
fic mitigation, they said a development of
regional (DRI) study would require a traffic
signal for the development. Diey also not
ed a willingness to build a private on-site
treatment facility if needed to help mitigate
sewer treatment issues and referenced dis
cussions with other government entities for
water.
Moving forward, no arbitration date has
been set for the Providence Group project,
while the Rocklyn Homes arbitration is
scheduled for July 10.
Kidd-Harrison said it’s possible that both
projects could be back before the council as
soon as August.
O’LEARY’S FINAL MEETING
Barring a called meeting, Mayor Lauren
O’Leary presided over her final Hoschton
council session on Monday (June 19).
O’Leary has announced that she’s re
signing her mayoral seat due to an upcom
ing move from Hoschton. She won office
during the November 2021 elections and
began her tenn in 2022 as one of the young
er mayors in the state at 31.
Her final day in office is July 5.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the council:
•tabled its decision on a request from KLP
Twin Lakes, LLC, to modify the conditions
of a planned unit development, allowing for
a convenience store with gas pumps on 2.4
acres on Hwy. 53. One person spoke against
the proposal. Christina Brown said the area
has seven gas stations within three miles of
the proposed site and felt the space could be
better used for a business that would draw
people to the city.
•tabled a decision on multiple requests
from George Flanigan of G.P. Enterpris
es regarding an already-approved 24-unit
townhouse project. G.P. Enterprises asks to
increase the maximum number of dwellings
in a building from six to eight, to reduce the
minimum lot size from 2,400 square feet to
2,000 and reduce the minimum lot frontage
on a public street from 24 feet to 20.
•extended Weitz’s contract as city planner
for two more years.
•tabled its decision for a new bank ac
count signature update to replace O’Leary.
•approved increased connection fees and
meter rates for developers from $350 to
$500.
•approved a resolution to match grant
funding, if awarded, for its Mulberry Park
project.
•tabled a decision on a sign for the city’s
new city hall and community center to seek
additional bids.
•approved the downtown development
authority’s postcard-themed mural design
onBellAve.
•heard that the city received a detenni-
nation of a “clean audit” for its FY2023 fi
nances.
•heard from multiple residents who com
plained of people parking vehicles on the
streets of the Villages at Hoschton, creating
safety issues.
Tuesday, July 4
Braselton Town Green
Free Concert
Patriotic Parade Food Trucks BIG Fireworks
EVENT SCHEDULE
5:00 p.m., Food trucks and activities begin, Town Green
6:00 p.m., Patriotic parade, Hwy. 53 from Free Chapel to
Town Hall and through Braselton Park
6:30 p.m. Soul Purpose Band, Town Green
Fireworks at dark
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