Commission recommends approval of 95-acre mixed-use plan, including county portion for 145 homes

Inline Communities representatives described a large mixed-use master plan tied to the former Harrison Poultry tract that straddles Barrow County and the City of Bethlehem. Kenneth Wood (speaker 17) said the overall project is about 95 acres, with roughly 40.04 acres in Barrow County that would be rezoned to R‑3 high-density residential; the county portion would include about 145 homes with neighborhood retail and a 50-foot buffer between county and city parcels.

Wood and the developer described connectivity, proposed amenities (cabana-style clubhouse, pool, walking trails, pickleball courts inside the development), and a plan to preserve tree buffers. Supporters from the Harrison/Reynolds family and Bethlehem First United Methodist Church spoke in favor. One commissioner proposed denying the requested future land-use change but gave no second; Commissioner District 3 then moved to recommend approval of the future land-use change, the rezoning to R‑3, and the mixed-use special-use master plan subject to proffered and staff conditions, with direction for staff and developer to resolve any inconsistencies prior to the Board of Commissioners hearing. The motion passed and the recommendation will be forwarded to the Board on Sept. 10.