Planning Commission Meeting

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 6:30 PM Municipal Council Chambers, 4303 Lawrenceville Road 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER 6:30pm PRESENT Chairman Keith Colquitt Commissioner Linda Dodd Commissioner Tiffany Ellis Commissioner Michael Joyner Commissioner Toyin Olaoluwa Commissioner Cathy Swanson Commissioner William Williams II 2. INVOCATION 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Approval of Minutes from 10/24/24 Motion made by Commissioner Williams II to approve minutes, Seconded by Commissioner Ellis. Voting Yea: Commissioner Dodd, Commissioner Ellis, Commissioner Joyner, Commissioner Olaoluwa, Commissioner Swanson, Commissioner Williams II. Minutes approved 6-0. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Case # R24-034- Kittle Homes, filed an application to rezone 26.07+/- acres located at 4615 Atlanta Hwy. Map/Parcel #LG110187, LG110187A00, LG110185C00 and LG110185B00, Walton County, Georgia. The property owner is Camp Family Partnership LLC. The current zoning is CH. The requested zoning is RM-6 for a development of new town-homes. This was the second time this case has come before the Planning Commission. Zack Kittle stated that the site plan had been updated with the entrance on Cown Road being removed and replaced with an emergency exit/entrance. The project would have 9 acres of open space, 5.2 units per acre, with 4 units per building that come with rear loading garages. The developer would also pay $180K to upgrade the sewer system. Questions were opened for the commissioners. Commissioner Dodd wanted to know if HWY 78 would have a left/right turn into the development and wanted to verify that the two commercial properties at the front of the site plan were restaurants. Commissioner Williams asked how many curb cuts there would be and Commissioner Swanson wanted to know if there was a sidewalk to the proposed dog park. Commissioner Ellis asked if there was any overflow parking and if the hammerhead shown on the site plan would be updated to a Cul-de-sac. Mr. Kittle stated that the commercial properties were restaurants, with signed lease agreements, that the left/right turn off of 78 would be determined by GDOT as well as how many curb cuts there would be. Sidewalks would be within the community but not from Cown road to the dog park as the dog park is intended to be private. The dog park would have parking for 15 cars and the hammerhead shown on the site plan would be converted to a cul-de-sac.  The public had no comments for or against this rezone. Motion made by Commissioner Dodd to approve the rezone, Seconded by Commissioner Williams II. Voting Yea: Commissioner Dodd, Commissioner Ellis, Commissioner Williams II, Commissioner Joyner, Commissioner Olaoluwa Voting Nay: Commissioner Swanson. Motion approved 5-1. B. Case # R24-035- John and Monica Man filed an application to rezone 8+/- acres located at 540 Bay Creek Road. Map/Parcel #LG100057 and LG100058, Walton County, Georgia. The property owner is John and Monica Man. The current zoning is R-44/Split. The requested zoning is R-22 for the development of an open spaced subdivision. Andrea Gray was the representative for John Mann on this case. Bay Creek Estates would be a community with 11 homes, 25% open space with mature trees, sidewalks/streetlights and contain an HOA. Lot sizes ranges from .53 to .37 acres, homes being a min of 2000 sq ft with 75% brick or stone siding. The Planning Commission did not have any comments/questions, however there were citizen questions. Charlie Goodwin, of 600 Hunters Cove, is on the corner lot adjacent to this project. His main concerns were those of the old trees on his property/on these parcels that needed to be cut down due to their dangerous conditions. He understood they would be protected by the CSO zoning, but urged for the applicant to look at these trees. He also wanted to question the water runoff issues that might come with building this community. James Rutledge, of 571 Bay Creek Road, wanted to know where the drive would be coming out. Mrs. Gray retorted that the applicant would be happy to remove any trees that were deemed dangerous by a hired arborist. She also stated that a self-contained stormwater detention pond on the property would prevent any excess water runoff issues. She also stated that the dive would be off of Bay Creek Road. Motion made by Commissioner Ellis to approve rezone, Seconded by Commissioner Olaoluwa. Voting Yea: Commissioner Dodd, Commissioner Ellis, Commissioner Joyner, Commissioner Olaoluwa, Commissioner Swanson, Commissioner Williams II. Motion approved 6-0. C. Case #R24-036 – Walker Anderson Homes LLC filed an application to rezone 13.15+/- acres located on Pecan Street. Map/Parcel #5160 030, 5160 032 and 5160 281, Gwinnett County, Georgia. The property owner is Linda Knight.. The current zoning is CH. The requested zoning is RM-6 for the development of fee simple town-homes. Shane Lanham of MPT Law firm was the representative for this case. He stated that the proposed development would be 78 fee simple townhomes at 1800 sq ft. Commissioner Joyner asked if the community would be gated and Commissioner Dodd asked if the entry street would result in a dead-end. Mr. Lanham stated that it would not be a gated community and that the road would be rounded and not a hammerhead dead-end. Commissioner Ellis asked if the detention pond would have landscaping, where the mailbox kiosk and parking would be. Mr. Lanham agreed with the landscaping around the pond and showed the parking/mail kiosk on the western side of the site plan. Hayden Rice, a representative of Linda S. Knight and Bucky & Ginger Smith, presented a letter to the commission with her approval of this rezone. The letter will be attached as an article of these minutes. Dwight Hamon and Greg Lot both spoke to the commissioners about their defense against this parcel being rezoned. Both stated that water runoff have been continuous issues for this area and their fear is that adding a new community will create even more issues.  Mr. Lanham stated that those water runoff issues should be submitted to the city in order for that to be corrected. Motion made by Commissioner Joyner to approve, Seconded by Commissioner Williams II. During this time, Commissioner Ellis added a condition to the approval; the stormwater management pond (viable part) that is be covered/landscaped/or fenced in. Motion made by Commissioner Joyner to approve rezone with the condition Commissioner Ellis stated, Seconded by Commissioner Williams II. Voting Yea: Commissioner Dodd, Commissioner Ellis, Commissioner Joyner, Commissioner Williams II Voting Nay: Commissioner Olaoluwa, Commissioner Swanson. Motion approved 4-2. 6. ADJOURN Motion made by Commissioner Dodd to adjourn, Seconded by Commissioner Ellis. Voting Yea: Commissioner Dodd, Commissioner Ellis, Commissioner Joyner, Commissioner Olaoluwa, Commissioner Swanson, Commissioner Williams II. Meeting adjourned 6-0, 7:43pm.