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County staff detail concerns for Pea Ridge subdivision proposal; commissioners hear traffic, school and density issues
Summary
An applicant seeking rezoning and multiple zoning variances for a roughly 215-lot subdivision in the historic Pea Ridge area presented site plans and proffers; staff flagged traffic, school capacity and density concerns and recommended limiting density to 3 units per acre as conditions were discussed.
Planning staff presented a rezoning request (Case 2500617) for a proposed subdivision in the historic Pea Ridge community that would convert 41.38 acres from R40 to RD3 and 20.78 acres from R40 to RZL. The applicant, represented by Benson Chambers for Pieridge Lane Investments LLC, proposed a combined project with roughly 215 single-family lots split between RD3 and RZL sections and requested several variances from county zoning standards.
Staff described the project as consisting of two sections: an RZL (residential zero lot line) portion with 119 units and an RD3 portion with approximately 96 units. The applicant proposed 4,200-square-foot minimum lots in the RZL area and 7,500-square-foot minimum lots in the RD3 area, and listed amenities including a pool, clubhouse, pickleball courts, a dog park, trails, a playground and ADA restrooms. Variance requests included reduced RD3 lot widths (60 to 50 feet), smaller RZL setbacks (rear setback 25 to 15 feet; side setbacks 10 to 5 feet), allowance for home doors and windows on both sides of zero-lot-line homes, and relief from alley-access and civic-space frontage requirements.
Staff noted site constraints including streams, stream-bank buffers and wetlands on the property, and summarized prior actions: the project was denied for annexation by the City of Canton in November 2024 when the applicant proposed a different plan. The staff report said the combined proposed density equates to about 3.4 units per acre, exceeding the suburban living character-area maximum of 3 units per acre. The Cherokee County School District estimated an enrollment impact of about 156 additional students and requested mitigation; staff placed an estimated additional capacity cost of $212,000 in the project file.
Transportation and engineering staff highlighted concerns about vehicle access and an intersection on Pea Ridge Road and indicated that widening Pea Ridge Road and realignment of the Pea Ridge/State Route 140 entrance may be required. Staff recommended, if the commission were to move toward approval, that sidewalks and streetlights be installed along Pea Ridge Road frontage, that the developer enter a development agreement for right-of-way improvements, and that density be limited to 3 units per acre. The county also noted an active Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP) small-area planning effort for Pea Ridge to address housing, historic preservation and infrastructure.
Commissioners asked questions about sight lines, lot buildability and whether variances were driven by site constraints or by design choices. The transcript contains no final vote on this item during the session excerpt provided; the matter remained under review with staff-recommended conditions and additional technical requirements noted.
