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Council approves buffer‑variance for hamlet project with required replanting
Summary
Council adopted ordinance 24‑053 to allow limited grading into a northern buffer for a proposed mixed‑use hamlet, contingent on replanting the buffer in the next suitable season and adding plantings if the buffer does not function as intended.
After a public hearing and staff recommendation, the Chattahoochee Hills City Council voted to adopt ordinance 24‑053 on Oct. 1, granting a variance to allow temporary grading into a required buffer for a hamlet/mixed‑use parcel. Community Development Director Mike Morton explained the variance is intended to allow grading needed to match new lot grades to existing site topography while preserving large open‑space areas elsewhere on the site.
An applicant representative, Heike Lisonbee (Integrative Science and Engineering), described the proposal as a "very, very minor temporary disturbance" to regrade the area and committed to replanting the buffer after construction according to plans in the council packet. Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval with two conditions: (1) replant the buffer in the first available planting season after grading, and (2) add additional plant material if the buffer is not functioning as a screen. The council adopted the variance with those conditions by voice vote.
The action includes a requirement that the developer implement revegetation measures and that staff monitor buffer performance post‑planting, adding further plantings if the buffer fails to meet screening expectations.
