Planning and Appeals says 'yes' to new group home

GAINESVILLE - Gainesville's Planning and Appeals Board is sending City Council a rezoning approval recommendation for a new substance recovery group home; board members said yes Tuesday night to the "Turning Point Residential Recovery Program".

Board Chairman Dean Dadisman cast the only opposing vote, saying afterwards that 24 men in a group home on a three quarter acre lot was a bit too many.

Brandon Pierce was also opposed, saying 24 men in a group home near his property on Erskin Avenue off Pearl Nix Parkway was too many in the wrong area.

"I don't just feel like 24 men trying to get off drugs needs to be in this area," Pierce said.

Developer Chris Cooley asked for a special use in the multi-family (R-2) zoning district.

"We didn't want to get into where we were 'warehousing' people," Cooley said. "We wanted to get into where they have their individual kitchens, their individual bathrooms and showers; it's basically an apartment."

Planning and Appeals staff recommended approval because the group home, to be built on undeveloped land, would be a good transitional use for the area under the Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

Jacky Cooper of Gainesville said his mother owns property near the rezoning site and said she also felt the tract is too small for a 24 man group home.

Cooper cited possible lowered property values and disputed staff's description of Erskin Avenue as a transitional area, saying it was still predominantly residential.

"As sorry as we are for the recovering alcoholics and drug addicts, Cooper said, "these men didn't get in this condition from singing too loud in Sunday School."


TALLER SIGN O.K.


The Planning and Appeals Board approved developer/land owner Greg Loyd's variance request for a taller sign in front of his Planned Unit Development site at Old Cornelia Highway and Old Hamilton Place in the Limestone Parkway Overlay Zone.

Loyd wanted a 25-foot sign to overcome sloping topography at the site.

Neighboring landowner and developer Jim Syfan said he did not object but wanted
assurance that the sign would not obstruct the view of his property.

City planner Matt Tate said the sign would locate far enough from Syfan's land to avoid blocking the view.