The first of two public hearings on a proposed 101.4 acre housing development in Mt. Airy will be held tonight. The Mt. Airy Planning Commission will meet to consider rezoning requests for the property on Demorest-Mt. Airy Highway.
The hearing is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Mt. Airy City Hall.
If approved, The Village at Mount Airy could increase the town’s population to such an extent that it becomes the third largest town in Habersham County.
The proposed development would be located adjacent to the Towerview subdivision off Demorest-Mt. Airy Highway. It would include 293 lots: 66 attached lots for townhouses and 227 detached lots for single-family houses.
According to the submitted plans, the development would include a number of amenities, including a clubhouse, playground, and pickleball courts. It would also include approximately 30 acres of green space, 15 of which would be dedicated to the Town of Mt. Airy. While the proposed development diagram states that the development is 2.9 lots per acre, once the designated greenspace is subtracted, the actual development area could be as dense as 4.1 lots per acre.
The developer, Cook Communities, is asking the Mt. Airy Planning Commission to rezone the property from R-1 (single-family residential) to R-2 (multi-family residential) and is asking for three variances:
- That the minimum lot size be reduced from 43,460 sq. ft (1 acre) to 5,500 sq. ft. (1/8 acre);
- that lot widths be reduced from 100 feet to 50 feet;
- and that front setbacks be reduced from 35 feet to 25 feet.
According to the documentation provided in the rezoning/variance application, the development would include a parkway-style entrance with a divided median for ingress and egress. Water and sewer services would be provided by the City of Cornelia, and the developer would upgrade an existing sewer lift station to accommodate the development.
“We feel the requested variances/waivers are in-line with the current development trends and mirrors a conservation style subdivision represented in the recently adopted Habersham County Subdivision Regulations,” Cook Communities states in its application.
“The [GA] 365 & [US] 441 corridor has exploded with industrial and commercial growth, creating a high demand for housing with the increased workforce demand. We feel this project could help supply the needed housing while also adding value to the community.”
Some area residents have expressed concern about the size and scope of the new development. Even the town’s mayor has some concerns.
“I don’t like the 2.9 houses per acre, but I do want to see the property developed. I would like to see the property developed, but the way the town wants it developed,” Mt. Airy Mayor Ray McAllister tells Now Habersham. He adds, “We are just now getting the ball rolling.”
While the current plan is for Cornelia to provide water and sewer services to the proposed subdivision, McAllister says Mt. Airy may try to work out an agreement with Cornelia in the future. As of now, he says, the developer has only spoken with Cornelia about providing those services.
“We don’t have enough capacity to handle [that many] homes,” the mayor says. “We will provide police protection, fire protection, and garbage pick-up.”
This development once built out, will increase the town’s population by approximately 55% or by 771 new citizens. That would make Mt. Airy the third largest city in Habersham County, surpassing Demorest and Clarkesville in population, based on the 2020 census.
The town council will hold another public hearing at 7 p.m. on Monday, February 6. Both hearings are scheduled to be held at Mt. Airy City Hall, located at 1231 Dicks Hill Parkway.
