Dacula likely to object to Gwinnett growth plan

Gwinnett’s long-range growth and development plan might be a boon to the county. But for the city of Dacula, it’s a bust.

That’s what the City Council will argue tonight when it votes on a formal objection to the Gwinnett County 2030 Unified Plan.

The plan is a blueprint for the county’s future growth, development and transportation needs.

Dacula officials are in a huff because the plan also would impose a rural designation area on the eastern, western and southern outskirts of the city. And that, they say, will limit Dacula’s commercial expansion efforts.

“It might be appropriate for certain pockets, but don’t blanket the whole eastern part of the county,” said City Administrator Jim Osborn, adding that the proposal is “180 degrees opposite” of the city’s own plan.

He said the county’s plan would exclude everything but green space, agricultural and residential lots over one acre on Dacula’s outer rim.

“The only thing they want to see is parks, executive housing and large-lot residential,” Osborn said. “They’re really killing economic development in Dacula and the eastern part of the county.”

County planning officials didn’t want to comment until they had a chance to review any objection, said Joe Sorenson, Gwinnett County communications director.

The county is expected to vote on the proposal in February. It is still under review by the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Osborn and City Planner Joey Murphy said they met with the county’s consulting company two or three times to explain the city’s plan.

“We made a good-faith effort, but this is what showed up on their Web site,” Murphy said. “They just failed to take our plan into consideration.”

If the City Council approves the objection, it will be forwarded to ARC and eventually to the state Department of Community Affairs, Osborn said.

“If it’s a severe enough objection, it could go to mediation but that’s unlikely, but that’s totally up to DCA,” Osborn said. “They could stick in the file and say ‘duly noted’ or ask both parties to come in … to see if they could come to some common ground.”

Mayor Jimmy Wilbanks called the county’s plan “a big tangled mess. It will make this part of the county economically not viable.”