Planning and development ordinance language adjusts to six units per acre

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townhomes six units

Hiawassee, Ga – The planning and development ordinance language will change to six units per acre. The units per acre would increase by two since the existing ordinance lists four units per acre.

Celtic Management proposed a new road next to Ross Lloyd Road so residents could make a left turn out of the property.

GDOT won’t allow a left turn to be made onto Main Street/ Hwy 76. The proposed change would result in the property development area becoming four acres with another acre for Celtic Management to sell.

The city of Hiawassee’s currently in the middle of updating its ordinance to allow more structures per acre. With the proposed change, the ordinance could change to six units per acre. The current ordinance states four units per acre.

The red box indicates an acre to sell and the four remaining acres are outlined in blue.

According to the developer, two units are already presold, and the townhomes won’t be rented.

“More importantly, it gives us control of what our density is all over the city,” Mayor Liz Ordiales stated.

The mayor added that 10 acres per acre were probably too many, but six units appeared to be a good compromise. She admitted the city does need workforce housing.

The townhomes are expected to be around $280,000 and up. The plan is to build the units in sections to see how the structures sell before proceeding.

Councilmember Anne Mitchell, who has expressed concerns about the project, felt this was a good compromise. Some members of the audience agreed with the change while others did not.

“The traffic is still going to be heavy, but traffic is heavy all over Hiawassee. If you want to make a left turn on 76, you’re going to wait no matter where you are. It’s not just there,” Mitchell said.

Councilmember Nancy Noblet stressed that if the townhomes aren’t built, then it’s possible a car wash or storage facility took the space instead.

Hwy 76 is controlled by GDOT, and any traffic issues must be presented to the department as well as approved before Hiawassee can make any changes to the road.

The second reading or the ordinance update will take place on Tuesday, July 6 at the City Council meeting. The council can also vote on the ordinance that night.

Planning Ordinance change public hearing scheduled

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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.

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Proposed mock-up of Mountain View Townhomes

Mitchell stood in lone opposition to the ordinance changes.

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