Winder Planning Board Accepts Art Gallery Rezone Request

• Who met: Winder Planning Board
• Where:
• When: Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011
• Who was present: Board members Bobby Joe Deaton, Tom Settle, Jim Neu and Mary Ann Price; Chairman David Jackson; City Planning Director Barry Edgar
• Agenda items:

The Winder Planning Board voted Tuesday to accept a rezoning request of 41 W. Candler St. from commercial to conditional use.

The property is owned by David Collier, who intends to turn the downstairs portion of the location into an art gallery and the upstairs portion of the building into his residence.

The gallery will be called The Lotus House and will feature several styles of art, including paintings, sculptures and furniture. According to Kristi Green, Collier’s partner, The Lotus House is intended to bring a new cultural aspect to downtown Winder. Green, who has owned galleries in Atlanta and Miami, said they want to build something that will attract people from areas such as Athens, Hamilton Mill and Chateau Elan, as well as Winder residents.

Green explained to the board that the rezone request is due to ongoing attempts to acquire a loan to renovate the downtown location.

“We want to be a part of this community,” Green said. “We are just trying to get things done the right way.”

The board voted unanimously to recommend the rezoning to the Winder City Zoning Board of Appeals during the city council meeting on Sept. 13.

The Winder Planning Board will next meet again at 6 p.m. Sept. 20, at the Winder Community Center.