Grayson Man Wants To Build Local 'Farmmunity'

GRAYSON, GA — A Grayson man is working to develop a community built around a communally owned farm in Gwinnett County.

Bluedress Farm is the brainchild of Justin Brady. After more than a decade of planning, his plans for a roughly 28-acre property on Lakeview Road, near Grayson, are set to be considered by Gwinnett County planning officials soon.

A necessary rezoning request was originally set to be heard at the Gwinnett County Planning Commission's meeting on Tuesday, but has since been tabled to a future meeting, according to the Bluedress Farm blog.

The site plan Brady proposes includes 32 lots for single-family homes. They would sell for somewhere in the $400,000s.

If approved by the planning commission, the plan would need final approval from the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners.

The idea behind the development is that all property owners would essentially become part owners of a farm in the subdivision. Produce from the farm would be sold at a farmers' market or to local restaurants.

Brady currently lives on property that would neighbor the development — called an "agrihood" in the development community, although Brady prefers the term" farmmunity."

"When the property was going to become available, I knew that development was coming, and I wanted to be in charge of what was happening with the property so we could be intentional about it," Brady told the Gwinnett Daily Post.

Brady told the paper that, while the practice remains relatively rare, there are roughly 200 "agrihood" communities throughout the United States.

A group calling itself the Lakeview Road Coalition has formed to oppose Brady's rezoning request.

In particular, they're against a proposal for a farmers' market and lakefront cafe on the property, saying that, if approved, they would pave the way for other developers to build businesses in the predominantly residential area.

The group also calls the proposal a high-density development, noting that 10 of the property's roughly 28 acres are covered by a lake.

Photos via Bluedress Farm website