Planning board denies Twin Lakes PUD amendment to add townhomes on 26‑acre parcel

The Hoschton City Planning and Zoning Board on a voice vote denied an application to amend the Twin Lakes planned unit development (PUD) to allow roughly 204 townhomes on a 24–26 acre parcel that had been reserved for commercial use.

Residents who spoke during the public-comment period urged caution, saying the change would increase traffic and place added demands on schools and emergency services. The applicant team and developer representatives said the parcel had been rezoned years ago with the expectation that rooftops would support retail, but they had not completed a contemporary market study or a traffic study specific to this amendment.

Why it matters: The parcel sits in the Twin Lakes master plan, a large mixed‑use area anchored by a Publix and a Kroger across Highway 53. Changing the parcel from commercial to residential would shift where retail demand is met and could affect traffic patterns, school bus routes and county emergency resources.

Public speakers voiced concern about congestion during peak hours and the cumulative impacts of ongoing development. Resident Jerry Esposito said, “Just 1 other concern I have is really the traffic… If…