Planning Ordinance change public hearing scheduled
News May 5, 2021
HIAWASSEE, GA – After passing its first reading, the public heading for the change to the planning and development ordinance will take place on May 24 before the work session.
The new language affects Section 26A of the ordinance. If adopted into law, any parcels of land one acre or larger will be allowed to build 10 units per acre in no more than four structures. The height of these structures is not to exceed 35 feet.
Currently, Hiawassee permits four units per acre and Mountain View Townhomes asks for 16 units across two acres.
The change does not apply to parcels of land less than one acre. The two-story provision for height constraints was also removed in favor of the 35 feet limit.
Mayor Liz Ordiales added that Hiawassee has some bigger pieces of property up for sale and the council needs to add a unit cap. She proposed a cap of 40 units per parcel.
“So, we don’t have 140 units in a 14-acre spot,” Ordiales commented.
Council member Anne Mitchell brought up the Mountain Protection Plan and that it sets a height limit at 30 feet. It includes mountains 2,200 feet and higher.
Ordiales believed the protected mountains had to have names as well. She added that the city needs to create a document to properly address the issue.
“I think that map has to be documented,” Ordiales said. “I think it has to be documented and done right…maybe we just need to create a map that says these are the mountains in our Mountain Protection Act for this area.”
Mitchell also asked Mountain View Tops Project Lead Lawson if he knew about the springs and fill dirt in the area. He knew and told his architects. The property is still under contract.
Mountain View Townhomes would be built on two acres off Hwy. 76 across from the Taco Bell and next to Georgia Mountain Vision Center. The proposal included a total of 16 townhomes. 10 two-bedrooms at 1,960 square feet for $230,000 and up. 6 three-bedroom units at 2,300 square feet for $280,000 and up.
Proposed mock-up of Mountain View Townhomes
Mitchell stood in lone opposition to the ordinance changes.
Hiawassee moving forward with planning ordinance modifications
Community, News April 7, 2021
Hiawassee, Ga – City Council agreed everyone needed to participate in the review and potential rewrite of the planning ordinance.
After Celtic Management presented its plan to develop 16 townhomes on two acres next to Georgia Vision Center, it was clear the ordinance would need rewriting. The existing ordinance only allows for four units per acre.
The project entitled Mountain View Townhomes would include 10 two-bedrooms at 1,960 square feet for $230,000 and up. 6 three-bedroom units at 2,300 square feet for $280,000 and up.
“I think it’s a great idea. I love townhomes,” Mayor Liz Ordiales said about changing the ordinance, “but if we do this for him, we have to do it for everyone.”
She added that there’s more property in Hiawassee than the council may realize especially if they decide to let more units be developed per acre.
Hiawassee doesn’t have zoning, so any change goes into effect for the whole city, not just one area. It’s unlikely the city will institute a zoning ordinance in the near future.
City Attorney Thomas Mitchell stated the planning ordinance provides parameters, but the council needs to make those decisions. For instance, they can limit townhome developments to a minimum of two or three-acre lots. The council could restrict the construction of any additional storage units being developed within city limits.
Ordiales commented that she didn’t think commercial and residential developments needed to be separated in the document. She didn’t want to restrict either one.
Councilmember Jay Chastain’s worried about Hiawassee’s water and sewer capacity if the city grows rapidly without any checks and balances in place.
“Main street ought to be attractive to make people feel good about being here, Councilmember Anne Mitchell. However, she’s not in favor of the townhome project in part because she doesn’t believe they will sell.
Also, townhomes aren’t considered a subdivision, and the phrases townhouses or multi-family homes don’t occur in the current document.
Ordiales again stressed that the council and the planning committee need to “take a minute and make sure we do this right.”
Mitchell plans to read through the ordinance and highlight areas the council will need to address. The council will be emailing him any questions too. Hopefully, by the April 26 work session, they will have a path forward. The ordinance changes could take several work sessions.