The Gainesville Planning and Appeals Board voted unanimously Tuesday night in approval of a 3.6-acre annexation that will allow Mar-Jac Poultry, Inc. to expand its existing facility.
The proposed annexation is to zone the area directly northeast of the facility to Heavy Industrial in order to connect to sewer services for the 156,000-square-foot expansion project. Currently, the property sits in unincorporated Hall County and is a part of the Department of Driver Services complex. Mar-Jac is expanding in order to add more processing and freezer space and the property is located at 1010 Aviation Boulevard.
Planning staff recommended approval of the annexation, attaching several conditions such as the need to conduct a traffic study if the Public Works Department Director deems it necessary. Mar-Jac anticipates an additional 90 employees will be hired to help fill roles in the new building expansion.
Community and Economic Development Deputy Director Matt Tate said the expansion will help the existing facility increase its processing and storage capabilities.
“They have the existing facility on site and it would just be attached to that site and this request was to annex the property for that purpose,” Tate said.
Tate went on to explain that the Department of Driver Services will retain the rest of the property remaining in the area northeast of the site.
With this approval vote from the board, the matter will now go to the Gainesville City Council for the final say on Febuary 7.
The Gainesville Planning and Appeals Board will meet again on Feb. 14th.
