Dawsonville planning commission tables Habitat rezoning for 12-cottage pocket community to Oct. 13

The City of Dawsonville Planning Commission on Sept. 15 opened a public hearing on ZAC2500169, a zoning-map amendment request to rezone six parcels totaling about 3.13 acres from R2 (single-family residential) to RCT (residential cottage) so Habitat for Humanity could build a 12-unit pocket-cottage community. After public comment and staff presentation, the commission voted to table the matter to its Oct. 13 meeting.

Elizabeth Mitchell of CLP Engineering, who presented the staff report, told the commission that staff "recommends denial of the request to amend the zoning map to rezone a 3.13 acre assemblage from R2 single family residential district to RCT residential cottage," citing two primary reasons: the proposed cottage floor area and incompatibility with the comprehensive plan's residential character area due to residential density. Mitchell also noted that the applicant has a separate variance request to reduce an undisturbed buffer depth to 40 feet that was not being decided that night.

The applicant, represented by Corey Guthrie of Spicer Group on behalf of Habitat for Humanity,…