Planning Commission approves master plan for 450–460 Gainesville Road with conditions after hours of public comment

The Athens-Clarke County Planning Commission on Thursday approved a planned development for 450 and 460 Gainesville Road that would replace an undeveloped 8-acre parcel with 69 fee-simple townhomes, about 10 accessory dwelling units and roughly 9,745 square feet of commercial space, subject to conditions addressing stormwater, sewer design and a 10-foot multi-use path along Gainesville Road.

The commission’s vote followed a staff presentation, a 10-minute applicant presentation and more than an hour of public comment from nearby Cedar Creek and Sunnyside residents who raised traffic, tree canopy, stormwater and compatibility concerns. Commissioners voted separately to approve a future land use change unanimously and then approved the rezoning and binding master plan with staff conditions by a 6–1 margin.

Staff said the proposal would rezone two split-zoned parcels (commercial office and RS-15) to RM-2 PD with a corner commercial neighborhood (CN) binding plan and requested a corresponding future land use amendment. The application asks to amend the Gaines School Road overlay use table to increase density from about 16 units per acre up to 24 units per acre on portions of the site, relax lot coverage limits, and raise the project’s total canopy target from…