Approval of drawings for a Braselton Lowe's across from Chateau Elan is again on hold.
Last month, the Braselton Town Council tabled an architectural review approval of the home improvement store planned as part of the Braselton Village development on Hwy. 211. The council again held off on a decision Monday (Jan. 9), voting 5-0 to table the matter another month.
Braselton Village is a planned unit development (PUD), which provides a mix of residential and commercial components. The council must approve all architectural designs as a condition of the PUD.
"We've got to get this right," Councilman Jim Joedecke said during a Jan. 5 work session. "This is in the gateway-to-Braselton area."
Multiple council members were displeased with the original drawings reviewed last month during its Dec. 8 work session. Mayor Kurt Ward and Joedecke said the designs from the developer didn't match the architectural character of Chateau Elan. The council received a revised version on Dec. 12 but opted to table the item to allow more discussion between town staff and the developer. But little dialogue transpired in the past month.
"I talked to (Braselton Planning Director) Kevin (Keller) a little bit about this. I know he reached out to the developer with some limited success in getting them to engage it sounded like," Joedecke said at the Jan. 5 work session.
Council members expressed additional concerns. Richard Harper took issue with the visibility of the store's heavy equipment and tool rental section.
"That's what you're going to see when you turn in," he said.
Ward added that outside storage of heavy-equipment rentals doesn't comply with Braselton's Hwy. 211 Overlay District regulations. The council agreed to send a formal letter to the developer explaining the overlay district requirements.
Harper favored sending a letter due to recent responses from the developer's representatives.
"Some of the comments were unprofessional," he said. "I don't think that what we were trying to deliver to them was well received … If the only way to get the message across is to send a letter stating what we allow and don't allow — (that's) my two cents."
(1) comment
Interesting article. It sounds like Chateau Elan is (probably) driving some of the criticism of this project behind-the-scenes. I agree about the visibility of the heavy equipment. Do we know yet what else (other retail) is going in there--as it appears to be a very large site? Is the Publix still planning to move into that space? Thanks for keeping us posted!
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