Plans Submitted for Toccoa-Stephens County’s First PUD Development

By Jessica Waters, WNEG Radio

Stephens County’s first Planned Unit Development, or PUD, reached a new milestone last week when developers submitted the first set of initial plans.

Last year, the Stephens County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an application by AK New Ventures, LLC, to rezone 42 acres of undeveloped property near the intersection of Mize Road and the Highway 17 Bypass from Commercial General to Planned Unit Development.

The Planned Unit Development, or P.U.D., designation is a new zoning classification added to Stephens County Zoning in 2023.

Stephens County Administrator Christian Hamilton said that Planned Unit Development zoning is a successful land use concept used throughout the country.

Under the new zoning designation slightly more than 42 acres of property adjacent to the Highway 17 Bypass near Mize Road, will be used for a mixed-use development, including multi-family housing, commercial development, and a hotel.

The development will consist of multi-family four-story housing, a grocery/market/general store, a convenience store and gas station, a main street with parking, a quick service restaurant, commercial/retail space, a hotel, and single-family residential housing.

According to the applicant, the multi-family housing portion of the development will be Phase One of the project, with “up to 80 to 120 two- and three-bedroom units.”

Phase 2 of the development will explore commercial development on the outparcels, including a strip mall retail center and self-service hotel.

Future phases include potential residential development to bring 150 single-family residential homes to the community.

The total project cost specified on the rezoning application is estimated to be $10 million to $25 million to complete, with a timeline of “three-plus years.”

Last year, both the Toccoa City Commission and the Stephens County Board of Commissioners voted to share funding of the infrastructure development along the bypass, with each entity earmarking $125,000 to support the mixed-use development, as well as future developments, with water and sewer capabilities.

The Stephens County Development Authority was also awarded a $475,000 grant to complete funding for the infrastructure, which is estimated at $728,400.

Under the agreement with the City and County, AK New Ventures LLC has two years to begin construction.