Learn more about Garden Lakes

Site plan for Garden Lakes development (Falcon Design photo)

The Atlanta Regional Commission has completed their review of the proposed Garden Lakes community, located in unincorporated Henry County adjacent to the city of Lovejoy and Clayton County. The rezoning request is expected to go before Henry County’s zoning advisory board in March and board of commissioners in late spring.

The property will be recognizable to many locals as the sod farm located along Old Highway 3. The property has road frontage and proposes access points off state route 81, an extension of North Steele Road from Clayton County, and Lovejoy Road.

Garden Lakes consists of approximately 301 acres and proposes 1,135 residential units. The gross density for the project is 3.8 dwelling units per acre with a net density of 5.4 dwelling units per acre.

The subject property, due to its large size, has multiple designations on the county’s comprehensive land use plan: medium-density residential development (up to six net units per acre) and low-density residential development (up to two net units per acre). A request to amend the comp plan for the entire property up to medium-density has been submitted concurrent to the rezoning request.

[googleapps domain=”drive” dir=”file/d/1wPtwpfvopkB_msffW8OGcEl0joy01z0R/preview” query=”” width=”100%” height=”480″ /]

Site plan credited to Falcon Design

The proposed residential units include 610 detached single-family homes and 525 townhouses. Full build-out of the site is estimated by year 2029.

The single-family homes start at a minimum lot size of 7,260 square feet, or one-sixth of an acre, consistent with the county’s residential suburban (RS) zoning district. County code requires minimum home sizes starting at 1,800 square feet in RS zoning.

The townhouses are located on the western side of the property off Lovejoy Road. The lots would offer two sizes: 365 units measuring 22′ x 46′ and 160 units measuring 30′ x 50′.

The site also includes several existing ponds that will be incorporated into the development, walking trails, and a twenty-six acre farm-to-table garden.

Traffic Study recommends new roundabout

The traffic impact study, completed by Wilburn Engineering in Newnan, recommends that Henry County construct a new roundabout at state route 81 and Mt. Carmel Road. The roundabout is recommended because of existing delays during the afternoon peak hour at the intersection and future delays that are expected to worsen in the morning peak hour.

Design and construction for a new roundabout on state route 81 would require coordination and approval from Georgia DOT. The state has a roundabout programmed further east at New Morn Drive that is scheduled to start construction in late winter 2022.

The study recommends the project developer install turning lanes where needed at proposed site entrances into the property.

About Clayton 1745 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of The Henry Reporter. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply