The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has approved a request to rezone 37.9 acres in the southwest part of the county to allow an “active adult” community of 104 homes.

The plan compares with nearly 200 homes approved in 2006 for the land, on the east side of Wade Green Road south of Ga. 92. Ardent Companies sought the changes, to allow a low-density single-family neighborhood, so that it can sell the property to Pulte Homes. In a report to the county board, staff noted the changes “represent a significant reduction in density and intensity.”

In a statement to the county, the applicant said, “The market has changed considerably” since 2006, and a high-density mixed-use project is no longer feasible. “The property has been marketed for sale for over 10 years with no buyers, so the existing zoning requirements are not viable.” With an aging population in Cherokee, the market demands “a one-level living product that is easy to maintain.”