Woodstock Seeks Details About Massive Mixed-Use Project

WOODSTOCK, GA — A proposal to build a massive, mixed-use community along both sides of a busy highway in Woodstock is not only generating buzz among residents, but is forcing the city to clear the air about what would be required of developers in the process.

The city has received numerous calls and questions about a projected dubbed Woodstock Community Village, which seeks to create a community featuring amenities such as a velodrome, beach, lagoon, dog park, mini golf course, butterfly pavilion and greenspace joined by commercial and residential uses.

Woodstock has no affiliation or management role in the proposal, and City Manager Jeff Moon said the only rendering city staff members have seen for the project is the same one that's been uploaded to the project's website and Facebook page.

Members representing Woodstock Community Village sat down with city officials on Tuesday, Jan. 23 and provided the city with a master plan outlining its proposal, which indicates there would be 800 residential units "inclusive of luxury apartments and condominiums," Moon said.

The master plan indicates Woodstock Community Village would reserve 15 out of the more than 43 acre site for residential uses. The plan also calls for 200,000 square feet of commercial space and 50,000 square feet of office space. According to its website, the village would require you to purchase daily passes or annual memberships to access its facilities.

According to its Facebook page, Woodstock Community Village says its tailored its plan to the strategies mapped out in the city's Livable Centers Initiative master plan for the Highway 92 corridor.

"Our design team has utilized the topography of the site to maximize the sustainability opportunities and the amenity offerings for our members and guests," it said in a Jan. 18 post. "Our timelines and details will be outlined in our upcoming newsletter at the end of the month."

Based on the number of proposed residential units, commercial square footage, venues and parking spaces, city officials told representatives with Woodstock Community Village that its proposal will most likely have to go through the Developments of Regional Impact review, which is coordinated by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Developments of Regional Impact are described as large-scale projects that would have ripple effects beyond the jurisdictional boundaries in which they reside. The process requires each of these developments to be reviewed by the regional commission district it falls in, which in this case would be the Atlanta Regional Commission. The process also calls for the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority to review the project's scope.

Woodstock officials also asked for a traffic study, which it said will also be required for the DRI process. It's also requested information on the total number of apartments and condos, gross square footage of commercial and office space, number of parking spaces, velodrome square footage, the number of seats for the velodrome, lagoon and beach square footage and the total number of hotel rooms.

“Based on the rendering, the project will most likely require the public hearing process, either for rezoning, variances, conditional use permit, or all of the above,” Moon said.

The representatives said they hope to submit their application for a public hearing by either March 2 or April 6. If that's the case, the project would not come before the City Council for a final decision until either May or June, Moon states.

"If a DRI review is necessary, which appears to be the case at present, the schedule is pushed even further by 30 to 45 days," he said. "No land development activities or construction of the project can begin until the public hearings process is completed. Once the applicant files an application, which is the first step, we’ll be able to realistically set forth the public hearings schedule.”

Keith and Cida McSorley are the masterminds of the Woodstock Community Village concept, according to the proposal's website. The website also indicates they are working with Dan Rockhill and David Sain of Rockhill & Associates and Dr. Dwight Reighart, CEO of MUST Ministries, to get their vision up and running. You can keep tabs on the project by visiting its website and Facebook page.

Image via Shutterstock