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Planning commission recommends denial of Hawthorne South rezoning and 175‑unit plan, citing stormwater and compatibility concerns
Summary
By a 4‑0 vote the Planning Commission recommended denial of the Hawthorne South rezoning and preliminary site plan for up to 175 rental units on a 29‑acre parcel near Whitfield Avenue, after extensive public comment raising flooding, traffic and eagle nest impacts and staff/stormwater questions.
The Planning Commission, after extensive public comment and technical discussion, voted 4‑0 to recommend denial of a county‑initiated rezone request (A1 to PDR) and a preliminary site plan for Hawthorne South that would have allowed up to 175 multifamily rental units on about 29 acres south of Whitfield Avenue.
Applicant counsel Scott Rudisill and planner Margaret Tussing presented a plan for small detached one‑ and two‑unit structures (175 units total) at about 6 dwelling units per acre, with 55% open space and a design intended to resemble single‑family homes. The applicant said the design would preserve large trees and avoid wetland impacts, and that it had coordinated with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on an active bald‑eagle territory in the northwest corner. The developer indicated an intent to start outside of the eagle nesting season and to meet higher stormwater design standards.
Staff reported the parcel is in the Res‑6 future land use category and that utilities are available; staff concluded the request could be found consistent with the comprehensive plan but noted concerns: the site is within FEMA’s 100‑year floodplain, construction near an active eagle territory may require federal permits, and final stormwater design must meet standards. Public Works staff described watershed‑scale flooding issues in the Pierce Drain / Wares Creek watershed and noted county projects are planned but a single small project cannot solve broader watershed flooding.
Hundreds of pages of public comment were summarized at the hearing. Dozens of nearby residents and community members told the commission they opposed the rezoning, citing repeated local flooding episodes, the proximity to Center Lake (a neighborhood that has experienced serious flooding), school impacts, transportation capacity and the presence of an eagle nest. Speakers included neighbors from The Trails and Magnolia Pointe subdivisions, an HOA director, and environmental advocates. The applicant and some consultants argued the site is an infill parcel appropriate for development and that the design and improved stormwater measures proposed would mitigate impacts.
Commissioners who voted to deny cited outstanding stormwater and drainage concerns, unresolved wildlife impacts and questions of compatibility with the immediate neighborhood. Commissioner Gay moved to deny; Commissioner Eslinger seconded. The recommendation of denial will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners, which holds the final decision.
