The Jasper City Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of the annexation of about 48.65 acres at 773 Fairview Road, an application filed by SDH Homes (applicant listed as SDH at Atlanta LLC / SDA Joint LLC on behalf of the owners). The commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for final action.

Planning staff recommended denial, saying the city currently lacks adequate water and sewer capacity in the area and that the applicant had not demonstrated how the development's impacts would be mitigated. Planning staff noted an active temporary suspension on new water and sewer connections and said infrastructure upgrades—lift stations, mains and pump stations—would be expensive and would need new customers to pay for expansion. “This development cannot and would not move forward until sewer and water is available,” said Parks, the applicant's attorney, during the presentation; planning staff responded that annexation does not guarantee future infrastructure capacity and that the city is currently limiting new connections.

The proposal before the commission combined two continued items: (1) annexation of the county parcel into the city and (2) rezoning from Pickens County Agricultural (AG) to the city Single‑Family Attached (SFA) district, with a concept plan for up to 220 units. Staff said the city's preferred land use along Highway 515 is commercial and that some regional reviewers, including the Northwest Regional Commission and Cherokee County, raised questions about trip generation and residential compatibility. Pickens County's board voted to object to the annexation but missed the 45‑day deadline to file a formal objection with the state, so no arbitration occurred.

Developer representatives said they had considered site constraints—there is a creek that provides a buffer from Highway 515—and that density is required to underwrite needed infrastructure improvements. Craig Gaston, a developer representative, said the team was willing to participate in road and utility upgrades and had already accounted for the site’s telecommunications tower and fall zone in design work. Local developer Dave Terry urged the commission to consider long‑term fiscal impacts, saying the city needs balanced revenues and that housing density can add to the tax base. Property owner Donald Silvers confirmed owners could withdraw the annexation application and leave the parcel in county zoning if they chose.

Commissioners asked staff and the applicant detailed questions about trip‑generation figures, alternatives such as annexing with a commercial zoning designation, and the legal mechanics of annexing without immediately granting the requested density. Staff said city law requires a city zoning designation once a parcel is annexed and that significant changes would generally require re‑advertisement and additional public notice.

The commission's formal motion recommended denial of the annexation; because the annexation recommendation was denied, the rezoning item was not advanced to a separate vote. The item will be placed on the City Council agenda for its Nov. 3 meeting, where members of the public and the applicants may present additional testimony.

The commission’s action was advisory only; final authority rests with the City Council.