Gwinnett Board of Commission gives thumbs down to Heritage Golf Course rezoning

The Gwinnett Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Sept. 24 to deny a zoning change and 10 variances that would pave the way for a subdivision containing 229 for-sale homes on a Tucker-area tract of land that currently serves as a nine-hole golf course.

The zoning change had previously been passed by the Gwinnett County Planning Commision, but then deferred without explanation at the full commission board meeting in August.

The rezoning proposal from R-200 (Residential) to TND (Traditional Neighborhood Development) for 46 acres of land would allow for the construction of 88 single-family homes, 40 duplexes and 109 townhomes.

Heritage Golf Links currently has an 18-hole course and an adjoining nine-hole course. The entire course straddles both DeKalb County and Gwinnett County. Golf course representatives have said they need to sell the land to make extensive repairs to the course, including a dam repair that could top $2 million.

The project, called Fairway Park, has been proposed by Parkland Communities , an Alpharetta-based company that has built communities in Lawrenceville, Fayette County, and Roswell.

Surrounding neighbors, who have formed a group called “Say No to Parkland” claim that they aren’t opposed to developing the land, but want to reduce the project’s density and rezone the property to R-75 instead of TND. During each step in the zoning process, dozens of residents opposed to the development have shown up to meetings dressed in red.

In 2021, the group successfully fought a much denser development proposed by Lanner Homes, which would have contained more than 400 units and a retail component.

At the Sept. 24 meeting, Parkland President Jim Jacobi and attorney Michelle Battle argued that they have tried to work with the neighbors to find a viable compromise, but felt that the R-75 stipulation contradicts Gwinnett’s land use plan for future development.

Jacobi also said that residential development is sparse, while the need for housing in the area continues to rapidly outgrow supply.

“We are offering different housing types that will appeal to everyone from millennials to boomers,” he said. “We’re building a sense of community here, which is what people want.”

Jeff Cleveland, representing the opposition, said the group believes that the density of the project and the number of variances are “too much of an ask.”

“I’ve been told not to say the word ‘greed, profit,’ or ‘money,’ so I will just stick to the word ‘density,’” Cleveland said. “Rezoning from R-100 to TND is just too drastic and too dense.”

Upon questioning from the commissioners, both sides were unable to specifically voice what would be an acceptable compromise in order to move the project forward.

Jacobi said his company has modified their plans significantly to satisfy many of the demands, including 50 modifications to its original site plan. Cleveland said, after consulting with several experts, that the group believes that giving way to one condition would mean losing any control of all of them.

Battle said the project’s developers are trying to satisfy the demands of the “Say No” group, but “it’s very hard to sit down and negotiate with 100 people.”

District 2 Commissioner Ben Ku asked Jacobi and Battle if Fairway Park could be built without any of the requested variances, and both said it would be difficult or impossible to accomplish.

After hearing both sides, and asking several questions of each, Ku made a motion to deny the application. The motion passed unanimously without further discussion.

Rough Draft has contacted Jacobi for comment. The “Say No to Parkland” website appears to be disabled, but a representative of a Heritage Links Rezoning Facebook said the group is happy, but cautious, about the decision.

“Our hope is that this frees the Burns family to obtain a quality, more experienced developer for this prime piece of real estate,” the statement said. “We are grateful the commissioners read our numerous letters pointing out the major flaws in this proposal and did the right thing. I truly hope we do not have to lose another year of our lives over the sale of this cornerstone property. “

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