Proposed Townhome Complex in Lavonia Clears First Read

The Lavonia City Council has approved the first read of a rezoning application by developer Kenny Whitworth for a townhome complex.

Whitworth is asking that 7.95 acres on Vickery St. between Spring and Wright Sts. Be rezoned from R-1 residential to R-3A multi-family.

At the Planning & Zoning meeting earlier this month, City Manager Charles Cawthon outlined eight conditions the developer must agree to before the City would approve his rezoning request.

Those included agreeing to a Land Dispersal Permit giving the developer 30 months to begin construction. Another condition Cawthon said is that the townhomes be fee simple.

“The development will be for fee-simple townhomes,” he said. “Again, these are not rentals, these are owner properties. That’s not to say that an individual owner won’t rent a unit but that’s not the way it’s set up. And this condition is for fee-simple ownership only.”

Cawthon added other conditions including no more than 95 units, building materials must be brick, stone, and/or Hardiplank siding.

Additionally, there’s a condition that requires a homeowners’ association to be set up and tag reading security equipment to be placed at the entrances to the property.

“A community homeowners’ association will be required. It being an ownership property, establishing and maintaining an HOA will achieve that consistency we’d like to see. The developer shall install Flock Safety or other approved equivalent tag-reading cameras at entrances to the development. I think this would be a selling point for them. Going forward I think we will look at that,” he said.

Final conditional requirements include adhering to EPD and GDOT guidelines during construction.

At their meeting Monday night the Council heard again from Whitworth who said he would abide by the eight conditions.

Councilman Jeremy Madden asked how many townhomes Whitworth plans to build on the 7.95 acres.

He said until their engineer has a look at the property they won’t have an exact figure but he said no more than 80 – 90 townhomes.

After hearing from Whitworth the Council voted to approve the first read of his rezoning request.

A second read will take place at the April City Council meeting before the final approval.