Paulding planning commission recommends denial of Traighton mixed‑use rezoning near Silver Comet Trail

The Paulding County Planning Commission on Wednesday recommended denial of a mixed‑use rezoning and annexation application from Traighton Homes for about 63.79 acres near the Silver Comet Trail and Hiram downtown.

The commission’s motion to deny the application (moved by Commissioner Aston, seconded by Commissioner Leggett) carried by a 5‑for, 1‑against, 1‑abstention tally. The application would have rezoned property along Hiram‑Douglasville Highway (State Route 92), Seaboard Avenue and Rosedale Drive to the City of Hiram’s newly adopted MXU (mixed‑use) category and proposed up to 279 residential units and dedicated civic/commercial acreage.

Traighton Homes representative Kevin Moore said the project would include a mix of detached homes and attached townhomes, roughly 179 detached and 104 attached units, about 5.31 acres of nonresidential (commercial) space and “active amenity areas” on both sides of Seaboard Avenue. Moore said the commercial parcel adjacent to the Silver Comet Trail was intended to be trail‑oriented retail or food and beverage and that the builder would be willing to discuss voluntary contributions to offset school impacts.

The school district’s representative to the commission, Jacob Wicks, told the commission the county school system’s demographic yield estimate for this application is 152 additional students: 70 at Hiram Elementary, 37 at PB Rich Middle and 45 at Hiram High. Wicks said those numbers would push Hiram Elementary near or over operating capacity and that the estimate does not include other developments already approved or under review that would raise the total further. “Any project above and beyond that these applications are approved will just further exacerbate that overcapacity situation,” Wicks said.

Neighbors and homeowners associations raised stormwater and buffer concerns. Garnett Morris, representing Seaboard Township HOA, urged conditions or written commitments on stormwater and construction‑period protections, and asked for strict rental limits and ongoing enforcement. Morris read a petition that asked the commission to require the developer to “fully and demonstrably address our community’s critical concerns” before the city proceeds.

Moore said Traighton would prohibit short‑term rentals (less than 30 days), proposed a voluntary cap on long‑term rentals (the developer earlier suggested 10%) and indicated willingness to consider a voluntary per‑unit contribution to the school system to offset enrollment impacts. He also said Traighton was open to traffic and other infrastructure improvements recommended by traffic engineers and DOT during plan review.

Commissioners and attendees also pressed for details on emergency access and fire response. Commissioners asked whether the project would reserve land for a future fire station and whether private streets would complicate public access. The applicant said internal streets would be private as required under the City of Hiram MXU rules, and committed to traffic‑calming measures; the applicant did not commit to building a pedestrian bridge over Rosedale but said the company would consider civic‑use contributions.

The commission’s recommendation against the application is advisory; the city of Hiram’s mayor and council will make the final decision on annexation and rezoning. The application packet includes staff’s recommended stipulations; the applicant submitted an agreed stipulation letter that would have limited short‑term rentals and added other conditions if approved.

What happens next: The commission’s denial and the project record will be forwarded to the City of Hiram for its public hearing and final action. The developer and city staff can still negotiate conditions or revise the proposal before that hearing.