Group wants city's help in saving a northside neighborhood

GAINESVILLE - A Gainesville group told Planning and Appeals Board members Tuesday night they want help saving a north Gainesville neighborhood.

Joan Alford of Our Neighborhood Task Force said sreets within the area are all of Hillcrest Avenue and Ivey Terrace, and parts of North Avenue, Northside Drive, Forrest Avenue, and Bradford Street. The task force members live on Crestview Terrace, Ridgewood Avenue, Bradford Street, and Ivey Terrace.

The area in question is zoned (R-2), allowing multi family occupancy, and Alford and her group feel rezoning it to single family residential (R-1) would set the stage for its revival.

Alford said the task force grew out of opposition to the group homes for recovering substance abusers that had illegally moved in and set up in the area.

Alford said task force members know that under the 2005 Land Code it takes 100 percent property owner approval to change the rezoning, but at next month's planning and appeals meeting set for June 10 they plan to make a formal request for the rezoning of the identified area.

Alford said at stake is quality of life, neighborhood appearance and housing density.

REDEMPTION PARTNERS

Developer Craig Long of Redemption Partners won a variance approval to permit construction of three large homes on Morningside Drive, but not without hearing from nearby homeowners who feared encroachment and over development of the site.

Bruce Fitch, who lives on Park Hill Drive, said Redemption's building plans would bring unwanted high density to the area as well as unwanted traffic problems, especially if Morningside is widened.

Long said the Georgia Department of Transportation has no immediate or even future plans to widen the road.

OTHER APPROVALS

In other action board members approved Jane Taylor's variance request to allow a carport addition and fence at her Park Hill Drive home.

L.E. Coleman Properties was approved for a front yard setback variance at Monroe Driver and Danbury Lane to allow an 850-foot warehouse addition.

Ricky Presley got variance approval to allow an auto body repair shop on Davis street in the Midtown Overlay Zone.