Hoschton moving closer toward new zoning district

Hoschton is continuing to move forward with its plans to create a new Office-Residential (O-R) zoning district in downtown. The city’s planning and zoning committee met on Monday to discuss the proposal that would allow a mix of residential and office uses in Hoschton’s downtown. Three weeks ago, the city hosted a standing-room only crowd of affected property owners for a town hall meeting about the proposal.

City planner Wistar Harmon said the proposed O-R zoning district would require that all new offices be residential in “appearance or character” to maintain a sense of community in the downtown area. Commercial developments would not be allowed in the designated O-R zoning district, which centers around the city square. The zoning district would include properties on both sides of Ga. Hwy. 53.

Council member James Keinard, chairman of the city’s planning and zoning committee, said the O-R zoning district may expand beyond its currently-proposed boundaries.

“This is not set in stone,” he said. “We know there are going to be adjustments. People can opt in or opt out. This is a start.”If the Hoschton City Council approves the O-R zoning district, it would automatically rezone those properties within the boundaries, Harmon said.

Hoschton officials still need to address the architectural standards, parking lot regulations and lot size standards for the O-R zoning district, Harmon said.

Harmon added that he doesn’t favor allowing developers to combine more than one lot in downtown for large office projects, unless the lots are too small to begin with. A number of lots in downtown Hoschton are less than a quarter of an acre.

The Hoschton City Council adopted an O-R zoning ordinance in February, but didn’t designate which properties would be in the district. The city council is expected to discuss the proposed O-R zoning district during its work session on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 7 p.m.

The Hoschton Planning Commission is expected to hold a public hearing on the proposal on Monday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. Property owners in the proposed O-R zoning district will receive a letter about the planning commission hearing, Harmon said.

Source: KERRI TESTEMENT