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FLOWERY BRANCH
New apartments get first approval
Group also looking into mixed-use project downtown
BY JEFF GILL
jgill@gainesvilletimes.com
A proposed 324-unit apartment
complex near Interstate 985 in
Flowery Branch got its first OK
from the Flowery Branch City
Council Thursday night as part an
Atlanta developer’s larger plans
for the South Hall city.
The apartment complex, Crest
Flowery Branch, would be built off
Phil Niekro Boulevard at Thurmon
Tanner Parkway, just west of 1-985.
The complex would feature a club
house and swimming pool.
The Residential Group is seek
ing to rezone the site from highway
business to multifamily residential.
However, the front portion of
the property, facing Phil Niekro,
would remain as highway busi
ness, a move that would “cre
ate a mixed-use environment,”
according to a document from the
developer.
The five outparcels, varying
in size from 1 to 114 acres, could
contain retail businesses, such
as restaurants, Kurt R. Alexan
der, principal for The Residential
Group, told the council at its Dec.
6 meeting.
He said the project could take
two years to complete, and rents
could vary from $900 to $1,400 per
month.
“It’s a high-end product, for
sure,” community development
director Rich Atkinson told the
council.
The Residential Group has
developed upscale apartment
complexes in other cities, includ
ing One Metrocenter in Nashville,
Tenn.
The project did get pushback
from a couple of residents, includ
ing Robert Byrd.
“Apartment complexes over
whelm the educational system,”
said Byrd, a former educator who
used to live and teach in Gwin
nett County. “The whole reason I
moved here was to get away from
apartment complexes.
“I don’t know how the infrastruc
ture around here can handle this
many units.”
Mayor Mike Miller said, “In all
my conversations with the (Hall
County) school system, they want
that higher socioeconomic in this
area.”
Atkinson said residents of other
Residential Group complexes vary
from empty-nesters to younger
people.
“It’s all walks of life,” he said.
The council will give final
approval at a later meeting.
■ Please see APARTMENT, 8A
AUSTIN STEELE I The Times
Kurt R. Alexander, principal with The Residential Group, speaks during an
open house at the City of Flowery Branch building concerning plans for
downtown redevelopment on Wednesday, Dec. 5.
What residents want in parks
AUSTIN STEELE I The Times
Mack Cain, a park planner working with Hall County Parks and Leisure, speaks during a meeting taking input from the public on the
parks master plan at Chestatee High School on Thursday, Dec. 6.
Firm will use public opinion to develop master plan for next 10 years
BY MEGAN REED
mreed@gainesvilletimes.com
Residents told Hall County
parks staff and planners Thurs
day evening that they would
like to see more dog parks,
preservation of historical sites
and parks that have a variety
of facilities.
The gathering at Chestatee
High School was the fourth
and final meeting held by Hall
County Parks and Leisure to
seek input for the parks depart
ment’s master plan. People can
still fill out a survey online to
Take the
survey online:
projectsurveys.com
tell officials what they would
like to see added or changed to
parks facilities.
Clark Patterson Lee, the
Suwanee firm hired to develop
the master plan, is doing an
inventory of current facili
ties and will use input from
the meetings and the survey
to draft the master plan. The
draft will go to parks staff for
review, and the public will be
able to comment on it at one
more meeting. Then, the Board
of Commissioners will approve
the plan, which will guide the
parks department for the next
decade.
Parks Director Mike Little
said a gap in services on the
north end of Lake Lanier was
mentioned at three of the
county’s four meetings.
The survey asks people to
identify which area of Hall
they live in, and meetings
were held on each end of the
county to get input from all
areas.
Mack Cain, the Clark Pat
terson Lee senior landscape
architect leading the project,
said he thinks parks should
fit in with the surrounding
environment, and they should
have features that people with
different interests or needs
can enjoy.
“We want to make sure
there’s something at every
single park so that everyone
in the community gets to go
there and use it and it’s not a
single-use park,” Cain said.
■ Please see PARKS, 8A
‘We want to make sure there’s something at every single park so that everyone
in the community gets to go there and use it and it’s not a single-use park.’
Mack Cain, Senior landscape architect at Clark Patterson Lee
Hall may
get freezing
rain, snow
this weekend
BY MEGAN REED
mreed@gainesvilletimes.com
Hall County could get heavy rain and
sleet, as well as possibly the season’s first
snowfall, Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday night into Sunday morning, the
area is forecasted to get some rain and pos
sibly freezing rain, according to the National
Weather Service. Those conditions are
expected to continue throughout the day
Sunday.
Then, Sunday night into Monday morning,
some snow is expected.
The National Weather Service empha
sizes that the forecast changes often.
Updates are available on its website.
Northern Georgia is predicted to feel most
of the impact of the winter storm, according
to a statement from the National Weather
Service issued Thursday.
“The period of most concern is Saturday
night into Sunday for the mountains and far
northeast counties. At this time, the counties
most likely affected are Eastern Fannin,
Eastern Dawson, Union, Lumpkin, Towns,
White, Hall and Banks,” the statement reads.
“It is way too early to mention amounts but
■ Please see SNOW, 8A
Applebee’s in
Gainesville
has closed
BY JEFF GILL
jgill@gainesvilletimes.com
Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar + Grill at
1705 Browns Bridge Road has closed.
“We’re moving,” a sign on the front door
says. “Your Gainesville location is now
closed.”
The sign also urges visitors to go to the res
taurant at 31 Bethel Drive in Dawsonville
and shows a map of the location.
Asked for comment on the closing and
moving, Applebee’s said in an emailed
statement only that “we greatly appreciate
our neighbors’ patronage and look forward
to continuing to serve guests at the nearby
Applebee’s restaurants in the area.”
The restaurant’s closing is the second in
recent weeks among restaurants on Browns
Bridge.
■ Please see APPLEBEE’S, 8A
INSIDE
0 40901 06835
Advice 6B
Bridge 6B
Business 8B
Calendar 2A
Classified 9B
8 Comics 7B
Life 5B
Lottery 2A
Opinion 7A
Our Region 8A
Sports 1B
TV/puzzles 6B
WEATHER 2A
High Low
w 48 38
Lake Lanier level: 1,070.58 feet
Full pool 1,071. Down 0.14 feet in 24 hours
DEATHS 9A
Leonard Herring, 84
Bobby McMahan, 85
Mary Roberts, 91
Elios Auttonberry, 89
Frank Bell, 65
Gary Carroll, 53
Allen Daniel, 65
Carole Gaines, 74
Thomas Hedrick, 66
Jacqueline Reese, 61
Adlea Smith
Bruce Smith, 70
James Ward, 73
Karen White, 49
