Planning Commission to recommend approval of county’s first PUD
Members of the Stephens County Planning Commission, at Tuesday’s meeting, voted to recommend to the Stephens County Board of Commissioners that they approve a request for what would be the county’s first Planned Unit Development.
Stephens County Administrator Christian Hamilton said that Planned Unit Development zoning is a successful land use concept used throughout the country, but that it is a new concept for Stephens County.
The request, filed by AK New Ventures, LLC, would change the zoning on just over 42 acres of property adjacent to the Highway 17 Bypass near Mize Road, from its current Commercial General zoning to the county’s newly-created Planned Unit Development, or P.U.D., zoning district.
The county commission approved the addition of the new zoning designation in May of this year.
The Stephens County Planning Commission is a five-member volunteer Authority whose recommendations to the Board of Commissioners is non-binding.
The rezoning request is scheduled to come before the Stephens County Board of Commissioners at the regularly scheduled September 26 meeting.
According to the documentation submitted to the Planning Commission on the rezoning request, the currently-undeveloped property, located at 2636 Toccoa Bypass, would be used for a mixed-use development including multi-family housing, commercial development, and a hotel. The surrounding parcels of property range from Residential Single, Agriculture, Agriculture Intensive, and Commercial General.
In the request, the owner states that the proposed developments, if the rezoning is approved, would “consisting of multi-family four-story housing, grocery/market/general store, convenience store and gas station, main street with parking, a quick service restaurant, commercial/retail space, a hotel, and single-family residential housing.”
According to the applicant, the multi-family housing portion of the development would be Phase One of the project, with “up to 80 to 120 two- and three-bedroom units. Phase 2 of the development would “explore commercial development on the outparcels, including a strip center and self-service hotel.”
Future phases include potential residential development to “bring 150 single-family residential homes to the community.”The total project cost specified on the rezoning application is estimated to be $10 million to $25 million to complete, with a timeline of “three-plus years.”
According to the summary statement of intent, which is a required part of the PUD zoning process, the goal for this development is to “create new jobs, generate additional tax revenue, and bring housing and future industrial growth into the community.”
According to Hamilton, adherence to the statement of intent, or vision of the project, is a unique aspect of the PUD zoning designation
The benefits of the PUD zoning designation would include a higher density than allowed by other zoning options. Under PUD zoning guidelines, specific allowances within the development would be worked out in unison with the Stephens County Board of Commissioners to align with the statement of intent.
Specifically, a maximum of 15 dwelling units per acre is allowed under the base PUD zoning guidelines, the property owner is proposing 14.22 dwelling units per acre, plus up to nearly 90,000 square feet of commercial space.
Earlier this year, both the Toccoa City Commission and the Stephens County Board of Commissioners voted to share funding of infrastructure development along the bypass, with each entity earmarking $125,000 to support this development and future developments with water and sewer capabilities.
The Stephens County Development Authority has applied for a state grant of just over $475,000 to complete funding for the infrastructure, which is estimated at $728,400.
It is noted in the county staff report to the Planning Commission regarding the rezoning request, that the Stephens County Comprehensive Plan of 2021 proposes development along the SR-17 corridor to consist of mixed uses, including industrial, commercial, and residential uses.
Stephens County Development Authority President and CEO Brittany Ivey, who spoke in favor of the project and the rezoning request at Tuesday’s meeting, told WNEG News that the project fits into the county’s long-existing plans to guide development towards the Bypass and away from adding congestion to the Big A corridor.
According to the rezoning request documentation, “Upon approval of the PUD, construction shall begin within two years, with the Board of Commissioners having the option to extend the period for beginning construction for any phase up to one additional year. If construction does not commence within this time frame, the County shall cause the development to be removed from the official zoning map and shall reinstate the zoning district and regulations of Commercial General…”