Grayson Postpones Vote on Upscale Assisted-Living Community

GRAYSON, GA — Grayson’s city council has decided it needs more time to study plans for a new, upscale assisted-living facility.

Dogwood Forest is a 99-unit, luxury senior community planned on Lawrenceville Highway across from Starling Elementary School.

But after a lengthy discussion Tuesday night, council voted to table consideration of a variance the company behind the development has requested. At issue? The materials proposed to build the building’s sidings.

“It’s a beautiful building, but just not within the ordinance,” Mayor Allison Wilkerson said, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post. “Are we willing to deviate from the ordinance?”

The council asked Trinity Development to resubmit percentages of materials, like stone and brick, that will be used in the building.

City Planner Steve Sappington also suggested the building’s facade maintain “an historical appearance,” according to the Post.

Dogwood Forest is the first of two assisted living communities that Trinity plans to build in Gwinnett County over the next few years, the Post reports. Chief Operating Officer Vickie Curl said the company will break ground on a similar community in Sugar Hill near the end of 2016.