Zoning advisory board approves Pulte conservation subdivision at Luella Road with cemetery protections and 58% open space

At its April 10, 2025 meeting the Henry County Zoning Advisory Board approved two associated items — CU2409 (conditional use for a conservation subdivision) and RZ2426 (rezoning from RA to R2) — for a Pulte Group proposal on approximately 208.7 acres south of Luella Road.

Planner Taylor Solomon presented staff’s analysis: the property’s future land‑use designation is low‑density suburban (supporting up to 2 dwelling units per acre net). The applicant submitted a yield plan showing a conventional layout could yield roughly 275–279 lots; the conservation subdivision plan proposed by Pulte reduces that footprint to 239 lots and preserves about 58% of the site as open space, exceeding the county’s 40% open‑space minimum for conservation subdivisions. The proposed lot mix in the hearing record was 151 conventional single‑family lots and 88 age‑restricted units for residents 55 and older.

Staff recommended approval with conditions and proposed an additional condition requiring a ground‑penetrating radar (GPR) survey and report prior to issuance of any land‑disturbance permit to locate and protect a historical family cemetery and marked headstones identified on the applicant’s plan. Attorney Andy Welch, representing the landowners and Pulte, said the applicant had held a town‑hall meeting with the community, accepted the cemetery‑protection condition and would work with staff to limit the GPR to the general area where community members and historical records indicate burials are located.

Public commenters both in favor and opposed addressed environmental and safety issues. Supporters of conservation praised the amount of preserved open space and the project’s reduced density versus a conventional subdivision. Opponents and nearby residents — including Conserve Henry, Walnut Creek Watershed Coalition and individual property owners — raised concerns about stormwater infrastructure, pond fencing and children's safety, tree canopy loss, deed/transfers and school capacity; applicant and staff said floodplain areas and wetlands identified by site surveys would remain preserved and that road and site improvements would be built to county standards.

Board action: the board first approved the conditional use with the motion conditioned on rezoning approval, and then approved the rezoning RZ2426 with staff conditions as amended; both votes carried on voice vote. The transcript does not provide a roll‑call tally.

Key project details recorded in the hearing: project acreage ~208.7; conservation open space proposed ~58% (above 40% minimum); proposed 239 residential lots (151 single‑family, 88 age‑restricted 55+); gross density 1.15 units/acre and net density 1.26 units/acre in staff’s summary; requirement for a GPR survey/report and coordination with county planning prior to any land disturbance; Louella Road and other access routes must be upgraded to county standards and portions of the access road will be public; the applicant indicated price points in the $400,000–$650,000 range for market units and that the age‑restricted product would be single‑story ranch homes.

Votes at a glance: CU2409 — Motion to approve conditional use contingent on approval of RZ2426; outcome: approved (voice vote; tally not specified). RZ2426 — Motion to approve rezoning from RA to R2 with staff conditions (including GPR survey requirement and conservation open space); outcome: approved (voice vote; tally not specified).