Rezoning application heard at Planning Commission meeting

Community
The Dawson County Planning Commission addressed a rezoning application at its Jan. 18 meeting.

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Reconvening for the first time since December, the Dawson County Planning Commission addressed a new application for rezoning.

Michelle Lipham voiced her intentions regarding her request after the approval of minutes from the previous meeting held on Dec. 21, 2021. She wants to rezone the land from RSRMM (Residential Sub Rural Manufactured Moved) to R-A (Residential Agricultural).

Concerning the agricultural purposes, Lipham wishes to sell flowers, shrubs and perennials to landscapers and florists as well as other interested parties.

As part of the application process, the applicant must include a list of adjacent property owners who have property touching the applicant’s or directly across the street. Lipham’s application affects six properties.

The surrounding properties to the North, South, East and West are classified R-A, RSRMM, RSRMM and RSRMM, respectively.

Dawson County Planning Commission reviewed new rezoning application at meeting.

The aerial view provided in the agenda packet shows Michelle Lipham’s land and the neighboring properties.

Staff analysis and impacts of rezoning application

When considering the possible effects on property values, the staff analysis concluded the land use classification should not negatively impact the area.

The nearby area and the size of Lipham’s land allow for the pursuit of agricultural activities, which the Planning Commission sees as a relative gain rather than a hardship to the public.

While the Planning Commission encourages the conservation of agricultural land, Lipham must consider soil and erosion control and natural buffer maintenance along property lines.

Lipham will also need to observe Best Management Practices, which the Environmental Protection Agency defines as effective techniques to control nonpoint source pollutants, when clearing and grading the site.

The observation of these practices concerns the containment of stormwater run-off and soil erosion in this case.

If any work on the land will impact the existing water main, then Lipham will need to contact the Etowah Water & Sewer Authority.

Lipham may need to contact more public facilities regarding her rezoning efforts. Any additional structures with restrooms require a septic system permit and all proposed structures require a building permit.

The Planning Commission will hold its next meeting on Feb. 15 at 6 p.m.

https://www.dawsoncounty.org/meetings

 

Dawson County Planning Director presents update of proposed county alcohol ordinance

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Jameson Kinley

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Planning Director Jameson Kinley presented an update of some key changes to the county’s proposed alcohol ordinance at Tuesday’s Planning Commission meeting. The final ordinance must be approved by the Board of Commissioners.

Explained Kinley, “The reason for the update is to add the section about agribusiness, which is really our wedding venues.”

Wedding venue operators who want to allow alcohol on the premises must either obtain an alcohol license or — if they are renting the venue — to allow the renter to bring their own alcohol to serve guests – brown bagging.

“Brown bagging must be on a premise where a business license has been issued,” Kinley said. The responsibility for following state law and county ordinance is the responsibility of the renter.

Wedding venues will not be required to comply with the 50-50 regulation that requires businesses that serve alcohol to generate 50 percent of their revenue from food sales.

In other business, the Planning Commission approved the following variances:

  • A request by Thomas and Leann Harter to vary from the Dawson County Subdivision Regulations Article V that states that no more than five lots will be created from a parent tract within a five-year period;
  • A request by Kurt Trump to vary from the Dawson County Land Use Resolution Article III, Section 309 C.3 for a front setback reduction from 40 feet to 20 feet to bring a non-conforming structure into compliance.

Commissioners took the following action on rezoning requests:

  • Approved a request by the applicant, Jim King, to postpone a rezoning request on ZA 21-07 regarding the building of retail/office/warehouse space from RA to CHB. and ZA 21-08 to rezone 30.48 acres for the purpose of developing a 145 semi-attached residential neighborhood from RA to RMF.
  • Recommended approval by the Board of Commissioners of a request by Tim Hamby to rezone TMP 106-051, 106-051-015, 106-051-014 from RA and VCR to RSR for the purpose of combining and subdividing the parcels per RSR standards.

Emory Dooley will run for Board of Commissioners

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Dawsonville – Dawson County resident Emory Dooley formally announces his intentions to run for the Dawson County Board of Commissioners District 4 seat in the May 2020 Republican Primary

“The top priorities within my life are my Christian faith, my family, and my community.” said Dooley. “Upon learning that Commissioner Nix – who has served tirelessly and with a great passion for our county – was not going to be seeking re-election, I felt that the timing was right to use the talents with which God has blessed me, along with my experiences gained from service in this community to bring conservative, fiscally responsible principles to our county government with a common sense approach to leadership.”

A native of the Coal Mountain and Silver City area within northern Forsyth County, Dooley has lived in Dawson County for the past decade, where he has been active in serving his local community. Dooley presently serves as the Chairman of the board for the United Way of Dawson County, as well as an appointed member of the Dawson County Planning Commission. He has also served as a longtime past board member for Kare for Kids, Inc., a non-profit which sponsors the annual Mountain Moonshine Festival as part of its fundraising efforts that provides over $100,000 annually to children in need within the Dawson County community.

Dooley is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Georgia and currently serves as the General Manager of 400 Waste & Scrap, LLC, where he oversees the day to day operations of the business.

When asked about his interest in serving Dawson County, Dooley responded: “In my professional career and civic involvement, I have been blessed to work with and develop friendships with many of the citizens of our county, and I would like to help ensure that this community continues to be vibrant, successful and one that our residents are proud to call home.”

He is married to Mary Claire Dooley, who works as a public elementary school teacher. They attend Concord Baptist Church, where he is a longtime member.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

Dawson County Planning Commission meets today

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The Dawson County Planning Commission will meet today (Dec. 17) at 6 p.m. in the Government Center Assembly Room, 25 Justice Way.

Planning Commissioners will hear a request by Michael Roberts for a variance to the requirement that accessory structures shall be no larger than the footprint of the primary structure or half the gross square footage, whichever is greater for the construction of a garage/storage shed.

Harley Ray is requesting to vary from the Land Use Resolution Article III, Section 307 C.3 (front & side setback reduction) for the construction of a residence.

Tim Stowers is requesting a rezoning of 10.5 acres of property located at Harmony Church Road from: R-A (Residential Agricultural) to RSR (Residential Sub-Rural).

Michelle Taber is requesting a rezoning of 2.67 acres of property located at Frank Bruce Road from: R-A (Residential Agricultural) to RSR (Residential Sub-Rural).

The Planning Commission will also present the 2020 Planning Commission Meeting Schedule and application deadlines.

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

Planning Commission recommends denial of Pacific Group’s request for stipulations update

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Renee Duren addresses Dawson County Planning Commission Tuesday.

La79 acres from Residential Agricultural to Residential Sub-Rural and Jeffrey Cahill’s request to rezone 17.15 acres on Auraria Road from Residential Agricultural to Residential Rural Estate.

Jim King had two requests before the commission.

His request to rezone 78 acres along Ga. 400 near Kilough Church Road for construction of 120 townhomes and 240 detached homes received a recommendation of denial. But his request to rezone 40 acres along Ga. 400 from Residential Agricultural to Commercial Highway Business received a recommendation of approval.

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

500 new residential units on planning commission agenda

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Zoning requests on Tuesday’s (Nov. 19) Planning Commission meeting could add as many as 260 townhomes and 240 detached dwellings to Dawson County if they are ultimately approved by the Board of Commissioners. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Dawson County Government Center Assembly Room, 25 Justice Way.

Planning Director Jameson Kinley said Monday that Ridgeline Land Planning, LLC is requesting property near the intersection of Lumpkin Campground Road and Hwy. 53 be rezoned from Commercial Highway Business to Commercial Highway Business and Residential Multi Family to accommodate a 140-unit attached townhome community.

Also Jim King has requested 78 acres at Kilough Church Road and Ga. 400 be rezoned from Residential Agricultural to Residential Multi Family  to accommodate 120 townhomes and 240 detached dwellings. King has also requested that 40 adjacent acres be rezoned from Residential Agricultural to Commercial Highway Business.

In other business before the Planning Commission, Bentley Corners, LLC is requesting a rezoning of 1.679 acres of property located at Elliott Family Parkway from Residential Agricultural to Residential Sub-Rural.

Pacific Group, Inc. is requesting zoning stipulations update of 98 acres of property located at Dawson Forest Road West from previous zoning approvals.

Jeffrey Cahill is requesting a rezoning of 17.15 acres located at Auraria Road from Residential Agricultural to Residential Rural Estate.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

Planning Commission recommends approval of Etowah Village

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The Dawson County Planning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend approval of what was once known as Etowah Village – a massive 518-acre mixed use development – to the Board of Commissioners. But first, the developer had to agree to some major concessions.

The development is bordered on the east by Ga. 400 and Lumpkin Campground Road and on the West by the Etowah River. It is expected to include 338,000 square feet of retail and service space, with second- and third-floor residential spaces, 243,200 square feet of Class A office space with buildings up to ten stories; a hotel with convention center; 770 units of multi-family residences, 254 units of single-family attached home residences, a 350-unit continuing care retirement community with both independent and assisted living, 265 single-family homes dividing into three separate neighborhoods, 156 acres of parks and green space and a site dedicated to a future fire station.

One major concession is that there will be no building west of the Etowah River, a site where a trading post, and Indian burial ground once stood.

The developer also agreed there will be no access point at Hwy. 53 or Grant Road as originally planned.

Commissioner Neil Hornsey, who voted against recommending approval last April said the developer’s decision not to build west of the Etowah River and the removal of access points off Hwy. 53 and Grant Road convinced him to vote in favor of the project.

“We know something is coming here and we got some concessions, so I’m willing to support it,” he said.

Commissioner John Maloney agreed. “The biggest concern I hear is about a lot of traffic. Them being willing to make project improvements in order to maintain the system and the level of service, and continue to look at that as the development develops addresses a lot of those concerns.”

The Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on the development during its October meeting.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

Planning Commission set to hear Etowah Village rezoning request again

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — On Sept. 17 at 6 p.m., in the Dawson County Administration Building, the Planning Commission will hear a request it has heard once before — with some modifications.

The owners of a 518-acre parcel of land where the Etowah Village development was proposed have brought back a request to rezone the property for a mixed use development. The property is bordered on the east by Ga. 400 and Lumpkin Campground Road and on the West by the Etowah River.

According to the application, the development would include 338,000 square feet of retail and service space, with second- and third-floor residential spaces, 243,200 square feet of Class A office space with buildings up to ten stories; a hotel with convention center; 770 units of multi-family residences; 254 units of single-family attached home residences; a 350-unit continuing care retirement community with both independent and assisted living; 265 single-family homes dividing into three separate neighborhoods; 156 acres of parks and green spaces and a site dedicated to a future fire station.

The application states: “The site is the former location of the defunct Southern Catholic College. The existing zoning, based upon the Southern Catholic Master Plan, permits a variety of uses of which most are mirrored within the proposed development plans: Retail, Office, Multi-Family and Single-Family Residences. The applicant wishes to modify the arrangement of these uses and add a few additional parcels to create a viable alternative use for this tract that will become an asset to Dawson County.”

One important difference between this application and the earlier one is that it does not include anything west of the Etowah River which, opponents of the development have pointed out, is the site of a Native American burial ground.

Commissioner Chris Gaines said, “We made it very clear we are not going to allow anything west of the river. It there is something in this application that does not adhere to it we need to address it and get it cleaned up.”

Gaines also said he believes this will give the county greater control over how the pods fit better and look better.

 

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

 

 

 

240-unit apartment complex on Tuesday planning commission agenda

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga.  — The Dawson County Planning Commission will hear a request by Judd Hughes to rezone 40 acres on Dawson Forest Road from Residential Agricultural to Residential Multi Family for the purpose of building a 240-unit apartment complex when it meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Government Center Assembly Room.

The property is located about one-half mile off Ga. Hwy. 400 on the South side of Dawson Forest Road and would consist of apartments with a minimum of 700 square feet, a 4,000 square foot clubhouse, pool and pool deck.

Other items on Tuesday’s agenda include:

A request by Star Financial, LLC to vary from the Land Use Resolution by reducing the minimum number of required parking by three spaces for the purpose of constructing a patio;

A request by PR Acquisitions, LLC for an update of the Residential Planned Community Master Plan and Zoning Condition update for TMP 107-013;

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

BOC will vote on massive Etowah Village development Thursday

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Dawson County Commissioners are set to make a decision on one of the largest developments in the county’s history during the voting session that starts at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The Planning Commission voted 3-2 last month to recommend denial of the Dawson Village Partners rezoning request that would include 2,175 residential units, approximately 300,000 square feet of retail space, 200,000 square feet of office space, a luxury hotel, Chinese cultural arts center, continuous care retirement community and 450-bed assisted living facility.

The Planning Commission based its recommendation of denial on the impact the development would have on the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens and the environmental impact on the Etowah River and flood plain.

But the final decision is in the hands of county commissioners.

If approved, the development, which will be known as Etowah Village, will be located at the intersection of Lumpkin Campground Road and Ga. 400 then expand west to Etowah River Road before crossing the Etowah River.

In a public information meeting in April, Project Engineer Corey Guthrie said the project will take 10-15 years to complete and would be constructed in five phases.

Phase 1 will consist of building the fire station, hotel and retail along Hwy. 400. Phase 2 calls for construction of office buildings, apartments, a cultural arts center. Phase 3 will be the addition of continuous care retirement center. Phase 4 would include a 450-unit active adult community. The final phase calls for the addition of 171-single family units.

Guthrie said if the county commission approves the project, it will be at least nine months to a year before ground is broken.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

Planning Commission recommends denial of Dawson Village Partners development

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DAWSONVILLE Ga. – The Dawson County Planning Commission voted 3-2 Tuesday to recommend the Board of Commissioners deny the controversial Dawson Village Partners plan to build a Master Planned Village on 777 acres starting at Lumpkin Campground Road and Ga. 400, stretching to Etowah River Road then across the Etowah River.

Chairman Jason Hamby joined John Dooley and Neil Hornsey in voting to recommend denial. John Maloney and Tim Bennett voted to recommend approval.

The Government Center Assembly room was packed with residents, mostly opposed the development. When the vote was announced, many applauded and some shouted “thank you” to the commissioners. But the recommendation is non-binding. County Commissioners will make the final decision next month.

Shaun Adams, an attorney for the developer, outlined the project, which he said would include 250 acres of green space, a five-star hotel with approximately 300 rooms,  a performing arts center for concerts, approximately 300,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space, 200,000 square feet of office space, land to build a fire station, a 40-acre park with canoe launch on the Etowah River, a continuous care retirement community with an assisted living and nursing center with about 450 beds and a Chinese cultural arts center.

The plan originally called for a 2,700 residential units but that has since been reduced to 2,175 units.

The development would be built in five phases and would take between 10 and 15 years to complete.

Dooley expressed concern about the project’s density and added it would risk, “turning us into our neighbors to the south.”

Hornsey said, “It might be a little too ambitious for us.”

More than two dozen residents rose to express their views regarding the project. Nineteen were opposed.

Tony Passarello was one of only six who spoke in favor of the development. “To me it represents a management vehicle for growth,” he said. “It is a larger development and therefore you can manage it. Based on the restrictions and the planning and some of the stipulations that have been discussed tonight, the scale is large enough for us to have some predictability as long as financing and their demographics work out.

He added that the development is consistent with controlled growth metered over the next 10 years and that it is the type of development that citizens indicated they wanted in a comprehensive plan survey conducted last year.

Several speakers said they did not want Dawson County to become another Cumming, Alpharetta or Gainesville. Others said the county is not ready for a development of this size.

Johnny Burt said, “I don’t have a problem with people making money. The problem I do have is when people come into the county, make their money and leave us with the problems they’ve left behind.”

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

Massive Dawson Village Partners rezoning request goes before Dawson County Planning Commission Tuesday

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Anyone hoping to get a seat at the Dawson County Planning Commission meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, April 16) should arrive early. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Dawson County Government Assembly Room and a standing-room-only crowd is expected to attend to hear a rezoning request that could permit one of the biggest developments in the county’s history.

Dawson Village Partners is asking to rezone approximately 770 acres to Mixed Planned Village for a development currently known as Etowah Village. Original plans called for a 974-acre development that would include approximately 2,700 residential units. That number has now been reduced to 2,175 units.

Following Tuesday’s planning commission hearing the request will go before the Board of Commissioners with a recommendation to approve or deny. That meeting is tentatively set for May.

The developer’s plan calls for the development to begin at the intersection of Lumpkin Campground Road and Ga. 400 expanding west to Etowah River Road and across the Etowah River.

At an informational meeting last month, project engineer Corey Guthrie revealed that plans call for construction of a convention center, luxury hotel that could rise to 10 stories, a performing arts center for concerts, approximately 300,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space, 200,000 square feet of office space, a 12,000 square foot fire station, a 40-acre park with canoe launch on the Etowah River, and a continuous care retirement community with an assisted living and nursing center with about 450 beds.

Guthrie said the project could take 10-15 years to complete and would be built in five phases.

Phase 1 consists of building the fire station, hotel and retail along Ga. 400.

Phase 2 calls for construction of office buildings, apartments, a performing arts center and museum.

Phase 3 will be the addition of continuous care retirement center.

Phase 4 would include a 400-unit active adult community. The final phase calls for the addition of 171-single family units.

Guthrie said if the county commission approves the rezoning, it will be at least nine months to a year before ground is broken.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

Large crowd attends Dawson Village Partners information meeting

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Representatives from Dawson Village Partners LLC met with a very engaged group of approximately 100 stakeholders to provide details and answer questions about the massive 770-acre, 2,175 resident, mixed village development known as Etowah Village at Fire Station No. 2 yesterday.

The scope of the project — which will span the northwest corner of Lumpkin Campground Road and Ga. 400 westward, crossing the Etowah River and reaching Etowah River Road – has been reduced from 974 acres and 2,700 residences.

The project was expected to go before the Dawson County Planning Commission next week, but the developer has asked for a postponement until either April or May.

Plans call for approximately 300,000 square feet of residential space, 200,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space, a 12,000 square foot fire station, 300-room hotel with conference center, a performing arts center for concerts. About 30 percent of the project will be green space, including a 40-acre park with canoe launch on the Etowah River.

There will also be 171 single-family residences and, 400 multi-family residences. 319 of those will be above retail space. The rest will be age targeted or age restricted. Within that will be a continuous care retirement community with an assisted living, nursing center with about 450 beds.

Project Engineer Corey Gutherie said there is still a lot of work to be done before ground can be broken.

Following the planning commission meeting, the project will have to go before the Board of Commissioners at least twice, first to get approval for the project then again to get approval of the architectural design.

“It will be at least nine months to a year after that before we can begin moving dirt,” Gutherie said Wednesday.

The project is expected to take 10-15 years to complete. Phase 1 consists of building the fire station, hotel and retail along Ga. 400.

Phase 2 calls for construction of office buildings, apartments, a performing arts center and museum. Phase 3 will be the addition of continuous care retirement center. Phase 4 would include a 400-unit active adult community. The final phase calls for the addition of 171-single family units.

Reaction from the stakeholders was mostly positive.

Bill Minor who lives in the Gates of Etowah subdivision said, “Overall it’s as good as were going to get for that area. It’s a well thought out project that I can support. The only negative I heard was access from Hwy. 53. The state and county will have to work that out.”

Ty Hudson, who grew up in Roswell, but lives in the Savannah Trace subdivision, said, “I can definitely support this. It will be a great thing for Dawson County. I just don’t want it to turn the rest of Dawsonville into a ghost town. We have three small children and once they are a little older my wife may want to go back to work. If she doesn’t want to work in retail, she would have to work outside Dawson County. But with the offices that will become a part of the development, she may be able to find a job locally.”

Jerry Gordon was a little more reserved. “I haven’t totally decided yet,” he said. “It’s quite a large project to take in all at once. It will mean a lot of growth and a lot of things will have to change. I tend to think they are headed in the right direction. A lot of us are trying to figure out if it will mean an increase or decrease in our property values.”

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

Etowah Village development back before planning commission

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. —Tomorrow (Sept. 17) at 6 p.m., in the Dawson County Administration Building, the Planning Commission will hear a request it has heard once before.

Some Dawson County residents are calling it Etowah Village II. Barry Conner, who owns the 518-acre parcel of land where the Etowah Village development was proposed, withdrew his request for the rezoning in August when it appeared likely it would not receive Board of Commissioners approval.

Now the rezoning request is back on the agenda with a new name – Lumpkin Campground Road LLC.

The 518-acre parcel of land is bordered on the east by Ga. 400 and Lumpkin Campground Road and on the West by the Etowah River.

According to the new application, the development will include 338,000 square feet of retail and service space, with second- and third-floor residential spaces, 243,200 square feet of Class A office space with buildings up to ten stories; a hotel with convention center; 770 units of multi-family residences; 254 units of single-family attached home residences; a 350-unit continuing care retirement community with both independent and assisted living; 265 single-family homes dividing into three separate neighborhoods; 156 acres of parks and green spaces and a site dedicated to a future fire station.

The application states: “The site is the former location of the defunct Southern Catholic College. The existing zoning, based upon the Southern Catholic Master Plan, permits a variety of uses of which most are mirrored within the proposed development plans: Retail, Office, Multi-Family and Single-Family Residences. The applicant wishes to modify the arrangement of these uses and add a few additional parcels to create a viable alternative use for this tract that will become an asset to Dawson County.”

One important difference between this application and the earlier one is that it does not include anything west of the Etowah River which, opponents of the development have pointed out, is the site of a Native American burial ground.

Commissioner Chris Gaines said, “We made it very clear we are not going to allow anything west of the river. It there is something in this application that does not adhere to it we need to address it and get it cleaned up.”

Gaines also said he believes the new proposal gives the county greater control over how the pods fit better and look better.

 

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

 

 

 

Planning commission approves new 240-unit apartment complex on Dawson Forest Road

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – A new 240-unit apartment complex received a positive recommendation by the Dawson County Planning Commission Tuesday.

Despite the objections of some area residents based on traffic and stormwater runoff, commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval of the project to the Board of Commissioner who will make the final decision on June 20

Property owner Billy Hughes III had requested the 40-acre site located on Dawson Forest Road be rezoned from Residential Agriculture (RA) to Residential Multi-Family (RFM).

Speaking on behalf of the property owner, Brian Metzler said the apartments will be high-end residences, featuring granite countertops, vinyl plank flooring and quality electric and plumbing fixtures. The development will feature a 4,000 square foot clubhouse with fitness center and leasing office and a swimming pool and deck.

Bob Parris was first to speak in opposition to the development. “Those of you all that live in that area I don’t know if you need a traffic study or not,” he said. “You know how dangerous it is. Adding 200 and something or more cars a day is just going to make it worse.”

Kevin Dye, who lives on Sundown Lane and works for the City of Johns Creek Public Works Department specializing in government land acquisition, also objected to the project.

“I’m not opposed to an apartment complex at that location,” he said. “However, I have a major concern about this development related to water quality due to increased sediment runoff. The cove has worsened since I lived there the last seven years due to the new development in that area. The cove is getting shallower. There is a lot more silt built up there. I’m concerned this development proposes several new areas of impervious area and that is going to compound the issue. I recommend an increase in the stream buffer to at least 100 feet and decreasing the impervious area by reducing the number of units per acre.”

Commissioners also approved a request by Star Financial, LLC to vary from a Land Use Resolution in order to reduce the number of parking spaces by three, to accommodate the addition of an outdoors dining patio.

Commissioners questioned whether the current parking was adequate to accommodate customers. John Lovell, speaking on behalf of Star Financial, said it is and, he added, the outdoor dining patio would enhance the restaurant’s atmosphere.

No one spoke in opposition. Approval of the variance request does not require approval by the Board of Commissioners unless an appeal is filed.

The commission also unanimously approved a request by Piedmont Residential for a Residential Planned Community and Zoning Condition update for property located at the intersection of Harry Sosebee Road and Lumpkin Campground Road.

The property was originally zoned in 2006 for 400 residential units and later reduced to 330 with a private wastewater treatment facility and two acres of commercial. The wastewater facility was never built and future plans for that intersection call for the county to build a traffic circle.

Speaking on behalf of Piedmont Residential Acquisitions, LLC, Mike Miller explained the purpose of the request it to modify conditions to be consistent with the construction of the traffic circle, revise some conditions that no longer apply and to revise certain buffers.

Miller said his request would not reduce the size of the buffers or eliminate them, but would allow Piedmont Residential Acquisitions to go into the buffers to install stormwater runoff facilities then replant them.

Miller said, after the site plan was developed, he realized there would be some stormwater runoff from neighboring properties.

Sandra Kritikos, who owns property adjacent to the development rose to express her concerns.

Kritikos wanted assurance that a five-foot fence, which was part of the original zoning conditions would not be eliminated.

“Our concern is kids coming back through there and crossing into our property going out our dirt road to get to Blacks Mill Road. “It’s half a mile long and I just don’t want to be liable for any kids who get hurt there. That’s my biggest issue.”

Miller agreed to build the fence and the commission voted to recommend approval to the Board of Commissioners.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

Rezoning request postponed until April meeting

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — The Dawson Village Partners, LLC rezoning request that was scheduled to go before the Dawson County Planning Commission on March 19, will be postponed until the next meeting in April.

Dawson Partners, LLC is proposing a massive mixed use village to be located on a 974-acre site at the northwest corner of the intersection of Lumpkin Campground Road and Ga. 400 west, crossing the Etowah River and reaching Etowah River Road.

Developers are awaiting the results of a development of regional impact (DRI) study being conducted by the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission before moving forward.
DRIs are large-scale developments that are likely to have regional effects beyond the local government jurisdiction in which they are located. The Georgia Planning Act of 1989 authorized the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to establish procedures for review of these large-scale projects.

These procedures are designed to improve communication between affected governments and to provide a means of revealing and assessing potential impacts of large-scale developments before conflicts relating to them arise.

At the same time, local government autonomy is preserved since the host government maintains the authority to make the final decision on whether a proposed development will or will not go forward.

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

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