Dawsonville council approves final plan for Thunder Ridge Phase 2; MOU ties Phase 3 home construction to amenity completion

The Dawsonville City Council approved the final plan for Thunder Ridge Phase 2 during a special-called meeting on March 24, 2025, agreeing to the developer’s bonds, a stormwater management agreement and the community’s covenants and restrictions.

Planning and zoning staff member Stacy Harris presented the item to the council, and City Attorney Kevin Tallent confirmed the bonds were on the city’s standard form and reviewed the memorandum-of-understanding (MOU) language tying amenity construction to subsequent residential work.

Tallent said the MOU requires that "the phase 1, phase 2 amenities as shown in the design, attached to exhibit A, shall be permitted and construction begun during the construction of the 18 homes in phase 2" and that builders "cannot begin residential construction of a home in Phase 3 until these amenities are done." He also clarified the MOU allows land development approval but prevents vertical construction in Phase 3 until the amenity package is completed.

Developer representative Craig Roy told the council the developer intends to move "as fast as we can" once permits and the MOU are in place and said the firm has assigned a new staff member, Chad Lockley, to oversee completion of the clubhouse and amenity area. Roy said the team is preparing working drawings and will start permitting as soon as possible; he said the timing is tied to when the city issues building permits and the MOU conditions are met.

Council members asked about permit type and review. Planning staff said the amenity will require a separate commercial permit as part of the land development process, and that the review is a different process from the residential permit reviews.

The developer’s legal counsel raised a question about wording in the indemnification section of the bond and whether the bond references the engineering-of-record items being bonded. Tallent said he would discuss the wording with the developer’s counsel.

Council member Kayla Phillips moved to approve the final plan for Thunder Ridge Phase 2; the motion was seconded and the council approved the plan. The meeting record does not include a roll-call tally for the vote.

The approval leaves in place the MOU condition requiring the amenity area to be permitted and construction begun during Phase 2 construction and prevents vertical construction of Phase 3 homes until that amenity package is completed.