City of Hiram holds public hearing on Traighton Homes annexation and MXD rezoning amid strong resident opposition

Hiram, Ga. — The City of Hiram held a public hearing during its September work session on a Traighton Homes proposal to annex about 63.79 acres and rezone the property to MXD (mixed‑use development) for up to 249 homes and associated commercial and civic space.

City staff presented a recommendation to approve the application with 26 stipulations and three additional conditions added by staff; Paulding County Community Development staff had recommended approval to that county’s planning commission, but the planning commission voted to deny the proposal before it reached the council. No final annexation or zoning vote was taken at the hearing.

The applicant’s representative, Kevin Moore, told the council the latest concept reduces the planned number of homes from more than 315 to a maximum of 249 and eliminates most townhome components that appeared in earlier versions. "This reduction represents over a 20% reduction in the total number of homes," Moore said. He said the residential mix would include single‑family detached homes, an age‑restricted detached section and small pods of townhomes (46 townhomes total). Moore also said the plan designates more than 5 acres of nonresidential commercial/civic space along U.S. 278/Georgia 92 and includes two pedestrian connections to the Silver Comet Trail.

Moore said the developer proposes a gated age‑restricted section with 97 age‑restricted homes, a rental cap limiting rentals to 10% of units, a prohibition on short‑term rentals and a $500 per‑home contribution to the Paulding County School System at permitting. He described a phased buildout spanning roughly three phases and projected completion of the final phase in about 2033; he said the earliest construction start would be late next spring or early summer given permitting and engineering work.

Residents who spoke at the hearing voiced consistent concerns about traffic, school overcrowding, noise during long construction, loss of green buffers and the project’s scale in relation to downtown Hiram. "Traffic will be a nightmare in the downtown on the downtown streets," said a resident from Seaboard Avenue. Multiple speakers urged the council to postpone any decision until after upcoming elections and asked council members to consider the county planning commission’s denial. One longtime resident said nearby industrial operations, including Metromont, and the removal of tree buffers made adjacent residential placement problematic.

City staff and the applicant stressed design elements intended to mitigate impacts. Staff noted the MXD ordinance requires nonresidential components and pedestrian connections; city staff proposed stipulations that include widened access from the age‑restricted section to the Silver Comet Trail and buffer standards. Paulding County staff had submitted recommended stipulations during their review.

Councilmembers took a procedural vote during the hearing to extend public comment time by 10 minutes so all who had signed up could speak. The public hearing was closed after the scheduled speakers and additional opposition time; the council did not vote on annexation or zoning at the session.

If the council later approves annexation, the annexation vote must precede any zoning decision. City staff said they will provide the council with the full list of recommended stipulations and that modifications are possible before any final vote.

The proposal drew roughly two dozen public speakers and sustained questioning from council members about density, buffers, phasing and enforcement of HOA and rental restrictions. The council also heard details about the project’s location: the site fronts Rosedale Drive, Seaboard Avenue and the Hiram‑Douglasville Highway and lies south of the Silver Comet Trail and north of Highway 278. Several speakers urged the council to deny the rezoning or to seek a lower density plan; others argued that an organized mixed‑use development could bring commercial activity to downtown Hiram and provide amenities for future residents.

The City of Hiram has scheduled the matter for a future meeting; per city practice, annexation would be voted on first. The council packet includes the applicant’s site plan, the staff report with conditions and a letter from the applicant dated Sept. 25 listing roughly 26 conditions the developer submitted for consideration.