County Approved Zoning for New Subdivision on Kelleytown Road

DRB Group received zoning approval for a new subdivision on Kelleytown Road. The 206-lot subdivision will be on 166 acres. The site is located behind (east of) the Kelleytown Publix shopping center.

The company first applied to rezone the property in 2022. They hosted various community meetings and presented several iterations of a site plan before the county commissioners considered their request in November 2024. Many in the community weren’t pleased, however, sharing concerns about DRB’s previous subdivisions. According to the company, this will be their first subdivision in Henry County to offer new home plans. Estimated price points will start in the mid $400 thousands.

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Ambrosia Subdivision on Kelleytown Road

History

DRB Group of Atlanta submitted a rezoning request in June 2022. They sought to rezone 166 acres from RA (residential agricultural) to R-2 with sewer (single-family residential). In addition, they applied to obtain a conditional use permit for a conservation subdivision. According to the applicant’s yield plan, an R-2S zoning could support up to 219 homes on the property. Earlier proposals had 212 and 213 homes before they reduced it to 206 homes in the final site plan.

DRB Group was first scheduled to appear before the county zoning board in January 2023. That meeting was cancelled because of severe weather. They would later present in July 2024. At the time, the zoning advisory board recommended denial on the rezoning request. They also denied the conditional use permit. Whereas all rezoning requests must go to the county commissioners, the ZAB has decision-making authority on conditional use permits.

DRB Group appealed the zoning board’s denial on the C.U.P. This set-up for the board of commissioners to consider both requests.

About the Subdivision

Ambrosia subdivision will have 206 lots. The lot sizes range from 80’ wide / 12,000 sq ft minimum to 115’ wide / 22,000 sq ft minimum. Here’s a more-detailed breakdown:

Lot Size	# of Lots	Price Point
80’ wide 12,000 sq ft	119 lots	Mid $400s to $500k
100’ wide 18,000 sq ft	55 lots	$500k to $575k
115’ wide 22,000 sq ft	32 lots	$550k to $650k+

Home sizes will start at 2,200 square feet. They range up to 4,500 square feet. According to DRB Group, this subdivision will offer all-new home plans. They shared these plans are not yet in any of their Henry County subdivisions. Those home elevations are below:

Next, the Ambrosia subdivision plan has various amenities. They include three amenity areas. Amenities include the following:

Finally, the applicant is setting aside 43.5% (72.2 acres) of the site as open space. A conservation subdivision requires at least 40% open space. This includes a 100’ buffer along exterior roads. In addition, the applicant increased the buffer along the southern property boundary. They increased it from 50’ to 75’ at the community’s request.

Community Meetings and Opposition

DRB Group hosted three community meetings to discuss the project. This included two in-person meetings and one virtual meeting. The company’s representatives also met one-on-one with homeowners in the area. As a result of these discussions, the company re-engineered the site plan to provide an entrance onto Kelleytown Road. The original plan had both entrances off Old Kelleytown Road. This is intended to reduce the added traffic volumes on Old Kelleytown Road, as well as its intersection with Kelleytown Road. Other discussions led to the increased buffer referenced above. The company also agreed to install a fence along the property line with Kibbie Road.

Debby Fitzpatrick, an adjacent homeowner on Kibbie Road, spoke in favor of the request at the county commissioners meeting. “If it’s going to happen, they have been very willing to work with,” she shared. Many of her neighbors disagreed. Amanda Flora, also on Kibbie Road, shared “I disagree with my neighbor. Every single neighbor on Kibbie has two plus acres. Nobody has a half-acre lot…I bought this property because it was rural. I am concerned about the school.”

Deron Moore asked “when are we going to think about the traffic in that area? It’s going to be a tremendous impact on the families that’s already there…Are we going to think about the congestion before the fact or after the fact?” Editor’s note: Georgia case law prohibits the county from denying a rezoning request because of traffic congestion.

Comments also referenced the company’s rating on Better Business Bureau. According to company officials, an old inactive page on BBB gives the company an F rating. They shared that page was from a former employee prior to DRB Group purchasing Knight Homes in 2021. The company has an A- rating, based on their correct page.

Board Comments and Vote

Before voting on the request, Commissioner Dee Anglyn shared his thoughts. The property is located in the district he represents.

Thank you to Kelleytown. We have worked together very hard. I have taken calls from Kibbie Road residents and the area. The developer met with residents in their homes. We did not want Knight products in district three. I wanted to ensure DRB brought their north-side products here.

I asked DRB to bring a greater variety of product mix. The half-acre lot is extremely unusual in a conservation subdivision. DRB reduced the number of lots. They increased the buffer per the request of Kelleytown residents. The project preserves 43% of open space. They added trails at my request. They added a fence to border Kibbie Road. The rental percent is 5%, not ten [percent]. The half-acre lots better buffer Kibbie Road. They moved an entrance onto Kelleytown Road.

With that being said, the concern I have is other developers are waiting for this to move forward. Other developers may not work with us as much as DRB has.

Commissioner Dee Anglyn, November 19, 2024.

Subsequently, Anglyn made a motion to approve the rezoning request. It passed 5-1 (Wilson opposed). The board also approved the applicant’s appeal to build a conservation subdivision.

Featured image shows the Ambrosia subdivision site plan. Moore Bass Consulting photo.