Health system seeks annexation into Braselton for hospital

The Gainesville-based health system has asked Braselton to annex its 119-acre property in unincorporated Hall County on Thompson Mill Road (Ga. Hwy. 347) into the town limits — a move that will allow Northeast Georgia to tap into Braselton’s sewerage system for its proposed “healthcare village.”

The Braselton Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the annexation and zoning request on Monday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. The Braselton Town Council will hold a public hearing on the planning commission’s recommendation on Thursday, March 8, at 4 p.m. A council vote is expected on Monday, March 12, at 7 p.m.

If annexed into Braselton, Northeast Georgia wants its property zoned as Business Park — a designation that the town council revamped in August 2011. Business Park is intended for large employment or business centers that may be considered as a “campus,” such as hospitals.

Currently, Northeast Georgia’s property is zoned Planned Office Development in Hall County. The health system purchased the land in 2005 and opened its first medical office building — Medical Plaza 1 — in 2008. The 104,000 square-foot building includes offices for various medical specialties, an imaging center and urgent care facility.

Although the health system is still working on design plans for its healthcare campus in Braselton, Northeast Georgia is moving forward on zoning issues for its property.

The 119-acre campus is called River Place in Braselton and the new 100-bed Northeast Georgia Medical Center hospital will be just one part of that complex. While it has been commonly referred to the new hospital in Braselton, the property technically has a Hoschton mailing address in Hall County and isn’t located in the Braselton town limits.

As part of a 2009 intergovernmental agreement, Braselton is the sewer provider for the new hospital at River Place and Hall County can provide sewer service for up to two medical office buildings on the property. Braselton requires that its sewer customers be located in the town limits.

Hall County provides sewer to Medical Plaza 1 through the its Spout Springs Water Reclamation Facility — a former private wastewater treatment plant that the county purchased in 2008. The facility also serves The Village at Deaton Creek, Reunion and Sterling on the Lake.

In its annexation and zoning request to Braselton, Northeast Georgia Health System said it wants the Business Park zoning designation for developing a healthcare village that will include an inpatient healthcare facility and supporting buildings, medical office buildings, and a complementary grouping of commercial and retail spaces connected in a town center.

The first phase of construction is expected to include the 100-bed hospital and a second medical office building next to the hospital for an estimated initial square footage of 475,000.

The estimated total square footage of 1.75 million square feet will allow for expansion of the acute facility based on future needs, as well as construction of additional medical office buildings, one or more nursing homes, intermediate care or continuing care facilities and other related space.

Northeast Georgia is still in the process of developing a master plan for its property and has scraped its initial design plans that were submitted more than five years ago. The health system recently held a series of community meetings to get ideas and preferences from residents for the development.

A new site plan is still several months away, according to the health system.

In the meantime, Northeast Georgia is proposing a number of zoning conditions for its property that the health system says exceed Braselton’s minimum requirements in its development code.

Northeast Georgia’s proposed zoning conditions include limiting single retail or restaurant space to under 20,000 square feet and dedicating at least 20 percent of the property for greenspace. The health system also wants the possibility of a daycare facility and a helipad on the property.

The health system is further proposing that there be at least a 100-foot setback along the northern, eastern and western boundaries of its property where it abuts residential areas. Northeast Georgia’s property is located between two subdivisions — The Village at Deaton Creek and Riverstone Park. The property also spans along the Mulberry River.

A 50-foot buffer is proposed for the health system’s property that abuts non-residentially-zoned property. Northeast Georgia wants a 10-foot setback along the planned realignment and widening of Thompson Mill Road to create a pedestrian-friendly development, according to its application.

As site plans develop for the property, Northeast Georgia said it expects to seek additional variances from Braselton.

The health system said the development will include an extensive network of sidewalks and walking trails in its property.