A proposed new subdivision in the Ola area presented this month to the zoning advisory board. The proposed subdivision would be on 210 acres located north of highway 81 near its intersection with Keys Ferry Road.
The project proposes 176 single-family homes on two-thirds and 1 acre lots. The applicant is expecting a number of custom-built homes at price points between the upper $500k’s to $800k’s.
New Ola Subdivision
The applicant, Brent Holdings, LLC of Fayetteville, GA, is requesting to rezone the property from RA (residential agricultural) to R-2 (single-family residential). The property starts at the intersection of state route 81 at Keys Ferry Road. It then extends east along highway 81 for about 3,000 feet. The property also includes land behind, or to the east, of Ola Elementary and Ola ballfields.
The proposed subdivision includes a combo of 30,000 square feet (2/3 of an acre) and one-acre lots. All homes would utilize public water and septic tanks. This is because sewer service is not available at the property. Lots are organized in two halves, grouped by lot size. There would be 70 one-acre lots. The remaining 106 lots are 30,000 sq ft.
The applicant’s representative, Steve Moore, expressed home sizes would start at 2,500 square feet. Staff initially recommended all-brick exteriors for the homes. The applicant requested flexibility in this condition to allow for craftsman-style finishes. They are expecting custom-built homes within the subdivision. A homebuilder has not yet been selected for the project.
Proposed Roadway
Road access for the project includes two access points. They are both off state route 81, located across from Keys Ferry Road and Ellis Drive. The proposed access at Keys Ferry would be part of a larger proposed road. In 2019, when rezoning land for the new Publix shopping center, the county required right of way preservation north of 81 at Keys Ferry. This requirement envisioned a future road extending north from the intersection. The current applicant has drawn from this requirement to envision a new road connecting Keys Ferry and Ola High School. The proposed road would provide motorists on Keys Ferry Road a more direct route to the schools, without traveling on North Ola nor highway 81.
The county would have to identify funds to build the new roadway. The SPLOST VI program should begin considering possible projects within the next year. This could be one potential funding source. Henry County voters last considered the standard SPLOST ballot question in 2019.
ZAB Recommendation
The zoning board recommended approval of the rezoning request. Planning staff also made this recommendation. The board of commissioners must consider the item at a later date to make a final decision. Some applicants are presently waiting over a year between the zoning board and county commissioners.
Featured image shows an example home rendering for the new Ola subdivision north of highway 81. Moore Bass Consulting photo.
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