Braselton council approves zoning requests
The Braselton Town Council approved two zoning-related requests on Monday, including a proposal that will lead to a former church sanctuary being demolished for a commercial development.
Braselton Acquisitions and Development, LLC, asked that a total of 3.39 acres at the intersection of Ga. Hwy. 211 and Ga. Hwy. 124 be annexed into the town from Barrow County and zoned for general commercial in Braselton.
The intersection by the former Sharon Baptist Church sanctuary is the center of a major transportation project to revamp the crossing of Ga. Hwy. 211 and Ga. Hwy. 124, and a nearby intersection of Interstate 85. Sharon Baptist Church moved its services to Auburn in 2011, before the road work started.
Of the three tracts of land that were part of the annexation and rezoning request, two are owned by Sharon Baptist Church. One of those lots is a cemetery and will remain untouched. The other is a vacant lot next to the cemetery.
Braselton Acquisitions and Development owns a 1.4-acre tract that includes the former sanctuary. The company’s application shows a proposed 6,733-square-foot retail building on the property, although no details about those plans were discussed at two recent public hearings. No one from the public opposed the plans at the meetings.
Jody Campbell, an attorney representing Braselton Acquisitions and Development, told the town council on Thursday that annexing the land makes sense because three sides of the property border the Braselton town limits. Annexing into the town would also provide police protection from Braselton, he added.
In approving the request, the Braselton Town Council required the applicant to follow regulations of its Ga. Hwy. 211 overlay district, which mandates additional standards beyond traditional zoning rules.
In another request, the town council approved a conditional use permit to allow a private Christian school and church to open on Lewis Braselton Blvd. in Jackson County.
The Westbrook Centre, Inc., plans to open a private kindergarten through eighth grade school and a place of worship on the property, which was once home to Zion Baptist Church. It later became the Braselton Academy, which closed in early 2011.
The Rev. John Head Jr., senior pastor of the church and headmaster of the school, told the town council on Thursday that he believes that God has something special in store for the area.
“We will be involved in the spiritual life and education of children through academics,” he said. “We’re strong leaders in the performing arts and fine arts.”
The Westbrook Centre currently operates a private school in the former Winder First Baptist Church facility in downtown Winder. Of the 30 students enrolled in the program, Head said he expects 10 to continue their education in Braselton.
Head explained that the existing facilities in Braselton will allow the school to have students in a smaller building and potentially more in a gym on the 2.52-acre property. The land will also allow the private school to expand into athletics, he added.
Besides the private school, the property will house a daycare center called Braselton Prep for children ages six weeks to 5 weeks old, according to its website.
Braselton planning director Kevin Keller said the property can handle the estimated 30 students expected to enroll in the private school, but parking may not be sufficient if a massive expansion is proposed.
However, he said the daycare is expected to have three times as many students enrolled than the private school.
The former owner built the facilities to handle a high capacity daycare center, but Keller said he understands that there are no plans now to expand the program to be a large-scale operation.
“That facility was designed to handle a drop off type of system,” Keller said of the daycare operation.
The property is zoned general commercial, and is owned by Steve and Patricia Payne.
In approving the conditional use permit on Monday, the Braselton Town Council included a requirement that the Westbrook Centre use the existing facilities on the property for its school and church. Any plans to add to the buildings would require additional council approval.
Other Business
In other business, the Braselton Town Council:
•met in a closed-door session for about 50 minutes to discuss “personnel and land acquisition.” Council member Richard Mayberry left the closed-door discussion at one point when the council was discussing a particular item. The council didn’t take any action when the meeting was opened to the public.
•named Cindy Green to the Braselton Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to fill the unexpired term of former mayor Pat Graham, who resigned when she qualified to run for chairman of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners. Graham’s term was set to expire in 2017. Two other people — former council member Ralph Richardson Jr. and E. Diane Brumley — also applied for the post. Council member Mayberry abstained from casting a vote on the matter.
•named Kevin King, Caryn McGarity and Doug Rollins to one-year terms on the Braselton Visitors Bureau Authority. They currently serve on the VBA.
—Kerri Testement
The intersection by the former Sharon Baptist Church sanctuary is the center of a major transportation project to revamp the crossing of Ga. Hwy. 211 and Ga. Hwy. 124, and a nearby intersection of Interstate 85. Sharon Baptist Church moved its services to Auburn in 2011, before the road work started.
Of the three tracts of land that were part of the annexation and rezoning request, two are owned by Sharon Baptist Church. One of those lots is a cemetery and will remain untouched. The other is a vacant lot next to the cemetery.
Braselton Acquisitions and Development owns a 1.4-acre tract that includes the former sanctuary. The company’s application shows a proposed 6,733-square-foot retail building on the property, although no details about those plans were discussed at two recent public hearings. No one from the public opposed the plans at the meetings.
Jody Campbell, an attorney representing Braselton Acquisitions and Development, told the town council on Thursday that annexing the land makes sense because three sides of the property border the Braselton town limits. Annexing into the town would also provide police protection from Braselton, he added.
In approving the request, the Braselton Town Council required the applicant to follow regulations of its Ga. Hwy. 211 overlay district, which mandates additional standards beyond traditional zoning rules.
In another request, the town council approved a conditional use permit to allow a private Christian school and church to open on Lewis Braselton Blvd. in Jackson County.
The Westbrook Centre, Inc., plans to open a private kindergarten through eighth grade school and a place of worship on the property, which was once home to Zion Baptist Church. It later became the Braselton Academy, which closed in early 2011.
The Rev. John Head Jr., senior pastor of the church and headmaster of the school, told the town council on Thursday that he believes that God has something special in store for the area.
“We will be involved in the spiritual life and education of children through academics,” he said. “We’re strong leaders in the performing arts and fine arts.”
The Westbrook Centre currently operates a private school in the former Winder First Baptist Church facility in downtown Winder. Of the 30 students enrolled in the program, Head said he expects 10 to continue their education in Braselton.
Head explained that the existing facilities in Braselton will allow the school to have students in a smaller building and potentially more in a gym on the 2.52-acre property. The land will also allow the private school to expand into athletics, he added.
Besides the private school, the property will house a daycare center called Braselton Prep for children ages six weeks to 5 weeks old, according to its website.
Braselton planning director Kevin Keller said the property can handle the estimated 30 students expected to enroll in the private school, but parking may not be sufficient if a massive expansion is proposed.
However, he said the daycare is expected to have three times as many students enrolled than the private school.
The former owner built the facilities to handle a high capacity daycare center, but Keller said he understands that there are no plans now to expand the program to be a large-scale operation.
“That facility was designed to handle a drop off type of system,” Keller said of the daycare operation.
The property is zoned general commercial, and is owned by Steve and Patricia Payne.
In approving the conditional use permit on Monday, the Braselton Town Council included a requirement that the Westbrook Centre use the existing facilities on the property for its school and church. Any plans to add to the buildings would require additional council approval.
Other Business
In other business, the Braselton Town Council:
•met in a closed-door session for about 50 minutes to discuss “personnel and land acquisition.” Council member Richard Mayberry left the closed-door discussion at one point when the council was discussing a particular item. The council didn’t take any action when the meeting was opened to the public.
•named Cindy Green to the Braselton Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to fill the unexpired term of former mayor Pat Graham, who resigned when she qualified to run for chairman of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners. Graham’s term was set to expire in 2017. Two other people — former council member Ralph Richardson Jr. and E. Diane Brumley — also applied for the post. Council member Mayberry abstained from casting a vote on the matter.
•named Kevin King, Caryn McGarity and Doug Rollins to one-year terms on the Braselton Visitors Bureau Authority. They currently serve on the VBA.
—Kerri Testement
Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry
No Trackbacks