Dacula Planned Mixed Used Development Ordinance on Council Agenda
Proposed changes to the ordinance designed to increase possibility that 157-acre tract near Winder Highway and 316 will be annexed into the city and developed as a "live, work, play" community.
Videos
After tabling a vote last month on a revised Planned Mixed Used Development (PMUD) for the City of Dacula, council members now plan to revisit the issue.
City officials have been working with representatives from Walton Investing, Mill Creek Consulting and Rochester Engineering regarding the feasibility of annexing just over 157 acres into the city limits and eventually developing the property as a “live, work, play” community.
In an effort to make the city more attractive to the property development group, Dacula officials proposed several changes to the existing PMUD. The most significant change would increase the maximum allowable housing density per acre from eight units to 13 in order to make it possible for developers to construct apartments on the property. Other changes include eliminating the requirement that units be owner-occupied, reducing the required amount of open space in a development from 35 percent to 25 percent, setting the minimum square footage requirement at 600 square feet and changing the building height restriction from three stories to four.
The Dacula City Council had planned to vote last month on the revised PMUD, but decided to table the issue to allow all parties time to review new information and make additional revisions to the ordinance if needed. City leaders will discuss the proposed changes during the Feb. 23 work session.
The Dacula City Council work session will be held at Dacula City Hall, 442 Harbins Road, Dacula. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Andrew
9:08 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
This is very bad idea. Reducing open space, increasing the housing density and changing the height restriction will only serve to attract an undesirable element to Dacula. Furthermore, how can anyone justify a project of this nature when there are so many vacant homes, unleashed retail spaces and mostly, uncompleted developments all over Gwinnett County. It seems like a recipe for just another hole in the ground. Poor planning and bad economic forecasting.
Brenda Knight
9:40 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Can you give us the approximate location of the land - near 316 (north or south) or nearer to Fence Road?
Kristi Reed
10:05 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Near Winder Highway and 316: http://dacula.patch.com/articles/dacula-property-eyed-for-development
Kristi Reed
10:15 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Brenda - I checked, but I do not have photo of the plat. It is north of 316 just outside the city limits.
Bev Lougher
11:11 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
If Briscoe Field explands to commercial passenger service those jets would be coming right over that area. Wonder how many folks would want to live there? I was listening to the zoning board discuss changing the height rules for Ricoh in the Progress Center and they stamped their approval on a height of 160 feet and stated no building could be over 200 feet that is close to the airport. Four stories is not over 200 feet so this development has no probems there. I just thought the height restriction around the airport was interesting.