Planning Commission to Hear Request for Landscaping Business

A local company hopes to succeed where another business failed.

Golden Sands Contracting of Buford has requested a change in conditions to remove restrictions and reduce buffers for 6.78 acres located in the 4900 block of Braselton Highway. Applicant Mitch Peevy has also requested a special use permit to allow the development of a general contracting and landscape supply business.

The property is located east of Mount Moriah Road and was formerly the site of a landscape supply and plant nursery company. The business failed in 2009 and the property was foreclosed. The zoning conditions were changed when a heating and air conditioning contractor proposed moving to the location. However, the purchase contract was not completed and the property was placed back on the market.

The newly proposed business would have landscaping supplies and equipment on site in addition to a general contractor’s office. The applicant plans to use the existing building and parking area.

The current zoning, passed in 2009, limits the use of the property to a heating and air conditioning business with no outdoor storage. Current use conditions also include a 75-foot enhanced buffer along the south and west property lines adjacent to residential zoned property. The applicant wishes to eliminate both of those conditions.

The planning department has recommended approval with the following conditions:

• Limit the use of the property to a general contractor’s office with outdoor storage and a landscape supply business/plant nursery.
• Any new buildings shall have glass, brick or stacked stone on all sides.
• The site and structure shall be brought into compliance with all applicable zoning, development and building codes within 180 days of approval.
• Applicant shall abide by all sections of the corridor overlay district.

The planning department also recommends reducing the existing buffer requirement from 75 to 30 feet and recommends the addition of a 20-foot buffer between the business and Braselton Highway.

The Gwinnett County Planning Commission will consider the request on May 3 at 7 p.m. Once the planning commission makes its recommendations, the request will be forwarded to the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners for a final decision.

The planning commission meets at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville. The meetings are also broadcast on GwinnettTV.