Ninety new townhomes are coming to Snellville’s Scenic Highway in the near future.
Monday evening, Snellville City Council approved zoning changes to allow Meritage Homes of Georgia to build a 90-unit townhome development on about 14.7 acres at 2465 Scenic Hwy S. in the Gwinnett City.
Originally tabling its decision, the council expressed concerns over the project’s density and landscape buffers with neighboring properties. The developer compromised by lowering the number of townhomes from 101 to 90, increasing landscape buffers, adding guest parking spaces and changing the appearance of garage doors.
Councilmember Cristy Lenski, who resides close to the site, was the lone dissenting member of the council. She said she opposed the project due to continued concerns over its density and ability to mesh with existing development.
“I’ve heard so many comments from my neighbors (and) understand their concerns about the density, as well as their concerns that this will become yet another rental community that we’ll not be able to sustain,” Lenski said. “That is absolutely what we do not want to see on the south side of our city. I cannot support it.”
The approximately 1,500-square-feet townhomes will be located near single-family homes in the Lanier Forest subdivision and underdeveloped commercial property. The property was zoned for commercial and office space before the council’s decision.
Mitch Peevy, a representative for Meritage Homes, said it makes more sense to place homes rather than “failed commercial” in people’s backyards. It will take at least 18 months for building to commence, he said, with each home costing about $300,000.
Councilmember Gretchen Schulz said she originally “struggled” to accept the density of the homes. But, like Peevy, she believes nearby residents would prefer a subdivision over a noisy shopping center with delivery trucks and trash bins.
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