The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners recently adopted an extensive update to the county’s development ordinance, including changes that accommodate “missing middle housing” such as cottage court homes, duplexes and accessory dwelling units.
The amendments will take effect Jan. 1.
The amendment process began after a study last year projected more than 76% of housing demand in Gwinnett will go unmet through 2040, as the county’s growth collides with a national housing shortage. But many residents have opposed redevelopment and denser housing in some parts of the county, complaining infrastructure and schools can’t keep up.
The county commission took the unusual step of approving the updates without a recommendation from the planning commission, which postponed voting on them every month since a June hearing.
The Board of Commissioners typically votes on zoning cases after the planning commission issues a recommendation, but the commission can amend the development ordinance without a recommendation if the planning commission doesn’t give one within 30 days of its public hearing.
“The planning commission is deemed to have submitted a no comment recommendation,” County Commission Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said.
The deviation in process caused a couple of residents to cry foul and ask commissioners to hold off approving the amendments.
Jennifer Hackemeyer of Lilburn said allowing the planning commission to vote would give the public more time to understand the changes.
“I’m not sure that people really understand that you’re talking about opening neighborhoods that are traditionally single-family residence up to higher density by bringing in triplexes or duplexes,” she said.
Planning Commission Chairman Anthony Crotser said in an email that the case was tabled in June so county staff could address the concerns of commissioners, other volunteer boards and members of the public. Some of the proposed updates changed as a result, he said.
“I feel the end result is a great product that will further enhance development in Gwinnett County,” he said.
The updated development ordinance adds a “residential infill district” primarily intended for medium density housing. It updates dimension requirements for all residential districts and allows increased density in some mixed-use areas for vertical development and affordable housing.
Maximum density, setbacks and buffers remain the same for existing single-family detached zoning districts. Open space requirements, which previously only applied to developments exceeding 50 acres, have been added to all zoning districts and development types.
The ordinance last received a major update in 2014. Hendrickson said this year’s update, which the board passed unanimously last week, will ensure the regulations meet the county’s future needs.
District 1 Commissioner Kirkland Carden said the changes give the board more rezoning options. Planning Director Matthew Dickison agreed.
“This document’s not going to proactively rezone anything,” Dickison said. “It’s a regulatory tool that can be used as development comes in for staff review and for the public process.”
Dickison said he would like to update the ordinance annually from now on.
“It should be a dynamic, living document that we should be continually reviewing based on what’s happening and the needs of the residents of Gwinnett,” he said.
District 4 Commissioner Matthew Holtkamp, a Republican who took office this year, initially asked for more time to review the changes but eventually said he was reassured by the possibility of further amendments if necessary.
“This is definitely, after nine years, a needed update,” he said.
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