Rural Gwinnett is the name we have chosen for the group of residents fighting to preserve the Rural Character Areas of the 2030 Unified Plan, specifically the Harbins/Bold Spring area. This is the last area of Gwinnett where you can still buy a home with significant land, visit farms and keep cows, chickens, and horses. We want to protect the farmers and small businesses that rely on the rural character while preserving the rural charm, clean air, and quiet community we love.
Our primary case at this time is RZR2018-00004, an application to rezone 160 acres from RA-200 (agricultural estates) to OSC, open space conservation. While OSC sounds nice on paper, it should be intended primarily for high density areas as it incentivizes crowded neighborhoods with green space in the outer perimeter and an open/green space area within the neighborhood. The applicant is asking to put 356 small 1400 square foot homes on ¼ acre lots off of June Ivey Rd and Indian Shoals Rd.
This development, on top of many others that have already been approved or are in the process as well, will be too much for our rural area to accommodate. Our roads were not intended for the level of traffic we have now, our schools are all over capacity as they are currently, and Gwinnett County told us in their 2030 plan that they would work to preserve and protect the Rural Estate Sector. We are banding together to remind our commissioners that they are supposed to be preserving the rural areas and denying applications that seek to change the character of the area.
We do need help from you! Please take the time to call and email the planning commissioners and board of commissioners to tell them to vote NO to RZR2018-00004 and any other attempts to develop homes other than rural estates. I have attached a list of contact information for the commissioners.
We need as many people as we can get to show up to the Planning Commission meeting on 5/1/18 when the commissioners will make their first vote on approving or denying the application. Please wear red to all commission hearings as a show of unity. We are selling red T-shirts that say #RuralGwinnett across the front for $15. Proceeds will go directly to the mission of Rural Gwinnett via community outreach, supplies, and legal fees for consultation.
We hope that you will consider joining us in opposition and we look forward to seeing you at the upcoming meetings. Please “like” us on www.Facebook.com/RuralGwinnett and join our Facebook group “Rezoning Opposition June Ivey and Indian Shoals” for updates. If you are not on FB then please let us know so we can add you to our email list.
Thank you for your support and please let us know if you have any questions! #RuralGwinnett
