A new development with more than 200 apartments was given the green light at the Henry County Board of Commissioners’ February 19 regular meeting.
The Reservoir Group of Watkinsville requested a rezoning from RA (residential-agricultural) to RM (multi-family residential) for 27.3 acres on the south side of Mt. Carmel Road, east of North Bridges Road. The initial plan was for 275 residential units, but that was ultimately cut to 230. The request was in line with the county’s future land use designation of high-density residential, which allows for up to 16 dwelling units per net acre. There is also an existing multi-family development directly to the south of the property, which is just west of Willow Lane.
Staff recommended nine conditions, with the Zoning Advisory Board adding two in November. The final vote came with 14 conditions, including the reduction in number of units added by Commissioner Gary Barham when he made the motion to approve.
Primary access is expected to be through a gated entrance on Mt. Carmel Road, but developers agreed to add an emergency access point elsewhere per the ZAB recommendations. The plan is to build “big house”-style buildings, with each 10-unit building designed to resemble a large house. Each garage will have direct indoor access to its corresponding apartment.
The board was told by a representative of the developers that none of the units will be government-subsidized. Rents are expected to range from $1,200 per month for some one-bedroom units to $1,800 per month for some three-bedroom units.
A few citizens spoke in opposition to the plan, citing traffic concerns and lack of infrastructure. One speaker asked why the rezoning is being considered before a traffic study takes place, and county staff explained that the traffic study is usually a condition of the zoning and must be completed before the development can proceed.
Another rezoning request at the February 19 meeting was denied. ESS Properties LLC of Salt Lake City made the petition regarding its five-acre site at 5484 Flakes Mill Road, where a self-storage business is located.
The original 1996 rezoning stated as a condition that office development would occupy the front of the property and mini-warehouses would be in the rear. The petitioner wanted that stipulation removed so the front of the property could be utilized for mini-warehouses within the existing building. County staff suggested that any self-storage space replacing office space should be interior or indoor storage designed to mirror Class A commercial office space. The representative of the petitioner told the board that there was no problem with that stipulation. But the board did not discuss the matter at all, and Commissioner Bruce Holmes made the motion to deny, which passed with no objections.
