Stephens County planning commission tables PUD rezoning for Memorial Drive; approves seven variances

HARTWELL, Ga. — The Stephens County Planning Commission on Oct. 7, 2025, voted to table a rezoning request that would have changed roughly 89.47 acres along Memorial Drive from agricultural residential to a Planned Unit Development, while approving seven separate variance and rezoning requests earlier in the meeting.

The PUD application, submitted by DDB Capital and described by developer Dion Duluth as a mixed‑use project with about 165 single‑family homes, a clubhouse and approximately 38,000 square feet of retail at the Takoa Bypass and Memorial Drive, drew the largest turnout and most public comment. Philip Cochran, a project manager with the Continuum Group, said the development plan would set aside about 37 acres — roughly 41% of the site — as green space and that early, high‑level talks with the Georgia Department of Transportation have recommended a formal traffic study during the application process.

“It's 38,000 square feet, not 380,000 square feet,” Duluth said, correcting the project summary submitted to the commission. He told the commission the developer aims for “elevated living” with walkable amenities and a mix of retail and residential uses.

Several nearby residents urged the commission to delay or deny the rezoning. Eddie Powers, who said he lives at 0936 Memorial Drive, questioned whether the county has the population or employment base to absorb the new homes and warned that Memorial Drive already carries heavy truck and commercial traffic. “Where…