Brian Vanderhoff's North Fulton Real Estate Blog

Residents oppose subdivision although family has owned land 200 years

by Hatcher HurdNorthfulton.com

February 12, 2014
JOHNS CREEK, GA. – When your family's name is the same as the city's signpost for the road, it means you have history in the area. But the Rogers' family name did nothing to assuage other residents' concerns about a proposed 273-lot rezoning the Rogers Family Partnership has coming before the March 4 Planning Commission.

At a Feb. 4 zoning meeting of the Johns Creek Community Association at Perimeter Church there were as many area residents (almost 200) jammed into church meeting hall to voice their concerns as the other project heard the same night (See Page 1).

Michael Rogers, a real estate broker who lives in Buckhead now, told residents his family has owned the 104-acre tract of land five generations going back to 1830s. The 1839 farmhouse his great-great-great grandfather built still stands on the property.

"That is almost 200 years of stewardship of the land," he said.

Now the family has a contract to buy an adjacent 40 acres that was up for sale to developers. The family wants develop 40 acres of their land to in effect keep their acreage holdings intact. The homes Rogers would develop are adjacent to existing subdivisions.

The property the family wishes to buy is a bequeathal of land to Young Harris College. The college is selling the land. Rogers said it was a tax-free exchange in which the family is in effect swapping its land for development to preserve a 100-acre tract.

But the development of another subdivision with 273 lots would take away more of the rural nature of the area, and the additional homes would add to the congestion of the Bell Road-Rogers Bridge area.

Residents are further concerned that the family is also rezoning the rest of the family acreage for single-family detached homes. It is currently zoned Agricultural (AG-1) which allows for 1-acre lots.

Ashton Woods is the developer, and plans to build homes from 2,500 square feet to 4,000 square feet with a price range of $600,000 to the $800,000s.

Mike Busher, vice president of acquisitions for Ashton Woods, said the company was in the process of designing all new elevations for the project, but he said it would be an "understated but elegant" development.

"We understand the area and we want to raise the bar if we can," Busher said.

But the residents didn't want the bar moved at all. They said they were happy with the woods and pasture that they currently enjoy.

One resident said the Rogers' can come out on weekends and enjoy their land for a weekend getaway.

"But we have to live with the traffic. You don't live here," the resident said.

But Rogers replied to that saying, "We preserved our property, while the ones who owned yours sold out."

Rogers' position is that they are still preserving their land, swapping their land for development and in turn taking the other property "off the market."

But Rogers said what he cannot do – as some suggested – that they donate the land for a park.

"I have uncles and cousins who own just as much as I do. There are nine families involved," he said.

He said his relations are not prepared to donate their birthright, nor would he ask them to.

If some sort of public-private partnership could be worked, say with the city, then that could be a possibility. But short of that, the family will do what is best for them.

The bottom line was Rogers could not make guarantees whether the property would be subject to future development.

"We're keeping our options open. But we have no plans to develop the rest of the property now. But it is in our best interests to rezone the entire [assemblage] now," Rogers said.

As is often the case in Johns Creek rezoning, residents were concerned what effect more traffic will have on the congestion in the Bell Road area.

"Traffic is brutal and it's only going to get worse," one resident said.

Residents asked that the property be developed at a less density as a way to ease congestion and overcrowding in schools. But the developer said they are only asking the same density as has been developed in the area.

The project will come before the city Planning Commission March 4. It will be heard by the City Council March24.

02-12-14 JC

Labels: development, Johns Creek, rogers bridge

One of the last big, corner lots on Ga. 92 will go forward with development after the Roswell City Council approved a plan that places just 20 percent of the land on impervious surfaces.

The 20.5-acre tract on the northeast corner of Ga. 92 and Hardscrabble Road faced some opposition due to the 30 townhomes approved on 6.8 acres on the north side of the project. Coro Development LLC argued successfully that in the changing real estate market, single-family homes — especially upscale homes in the $1 million range — can no longer sell next to retail and office development.

Other townhouse properties nearby had higher home density per acre than Coro asked. The townhouses will sell at a price point somewhere in the high $400,000s to low $500,000s.

The project had gone through several evolutions and several owners. A private lake on the property caused some development problems — as did a creek — and rendered half the property unusable. On the northwest corner is a Target shopping center that generates a lot of traffic.

The plan calls for 43,000 square feet of office and retail along Ga. 92. Turning up Hardscrabble, an 80,000-square-foot assisted living community with 100 units is planned, followed by the townhouses.

Those townhouses were the main sticking point. The rezoning to allow the 30 townhouses had a recommendation for denial by staff, and the Planning Commission also recommended denying them as first presented for 48 units.

Michael Gould, representing the Brookfield West Civic Affairs Committee, spoke for the residents who did not want townhouses.

"The plan looks good on paper, but the residents of Brookfield West believe the best way to preserve the neighborhood look of Hardscrabble is keep single-family homes on the street," Gould said.

Mayor Jere Wood and Councilman Kent Igleheart agreed. They both supported denial of the townhouses.

"The Parkway Village zoning overlay was created with 175 feet of buffer between the commercial development and the residential behind it. That has worked well for the last 14 or 15 years. I don't see any reason to change it. I think it's a big mistake," Wood said.

But the council evidently thought the plusses outweighed the minuses in the case of this difficult piece of property. It is a high-end development with a company, Coro, that is well-thought of in the development community.

And as one observer put it, "They aren't likely to see a better plan at such a density."

Coro will have to provide a 360-foot median on Hardscrabble to deter left-turns into and out of the Target. However, Coro will receive a tax credit for three-fourths of the cost of building it, the need for the median was deemed a "system improvement."

System improvements are either made by the city or borne by all of the developers in the area affected. Project improvements such as turn lanes and traffic signals are usually paid by the developer.

In other business, the City Council allowed the deferral of a 140-foot cell tower application at 10930 Crabapple Road. The City deferred the application a second time to June 8. The mayor said the deferral was to allow the applicant more time to find another location.

Labels: development, Hardscrabble Road, Hwy 92, Roswell, townhomes