PUBLIC HEARING 
Overlook of Lake Chatuge

Thursday September 7th, 2023 6PM
Towns County Civic Center 
67 Lakeview Circle
Hiawassee, GA  30546 

Planning Committee Chairperson Nancy Noblet called to order the public hearing regarding the Overlook of Lake Chatuge variance request on Thursday September 7th, 2023, 6PM at the Towns County Civic Center, 67 Lakeview Circle Hiawassee, GA 30546.

The invocation was given by Hiawassee City Council member Anne Mitchell and was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Chairperson Noblet read the meeting guidelines as follows:

1. Attendees wanting to speak will sign in on the form provided prior to the start of the meeting.

2. Residents and property owners will have priority to speak first, time permitting county residents will be accommodated.

3. Speakers will have 3 minutes to speak, time will be monitored.

4. Speakers are encouraged to avoid repeating comments previously made to give more attendees the opportunity to address the Building and Planning Committee. Speakers must address the Building and Planning Committee and avoid addressing the audience or any single individual.

5. Anyone who uses foul language will be asked to sit down and if they continue, they will be removed from the meeting. Members of the audience will refrain from interrupting any speaker, and will refrain from jeering, applause, cheers or other conduct that disrupts the flow of the meeting. Any person who disregards these rules, or disrupts, interrupts or interferes with the meeting will be asked to leave.

The status update on the project area was presented by Mayor Liz Ordiales. She presented information on statistics on home sales comparing 2017 to 2023, average salaries for teachers, professors, police officers, and nurses, project area changes (Dunkin Donuts, Bojangles) and meeting with Georgia Department of Transportation about the need for a traffic light in this area.

Kim Bucciero of Tiny South, LLC presented her plans for the development if the variance is approved. The plan consists of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom homes, 700 to 1100 square feet, configured facing each other around green spaces to foster community in keeping with the Pocket Neighborhood model. The homes will be low maintenance and energy efficient to keep on-going cost low. No or low maintenance, native plantings are used to keep appearance of properties neat (not overgrown). Storm water collection, which is usually handled with a collection pond, would be collected under the parking areas for more efficient use of space. 25% of the units would be sold below market value ($160,000 to $230,000) while the remainder would sell for between $220,000 and $330,000. Smaller family sizes and greater numbers of single person households is leading to smaller home sizes – the “missing middle”.

Speakers in favor of the variance included (City resident/business owner) Joe Ruf, Brad Baso, (outside City limits) Mark Engelkin, Monica McKenna, Destiny Chevere, Michael Courey, Vicky Constantinides, and Callie Moore. Much of the emphasis was on the need for such housing options that the project represents, support for business through support of the workers, and support of the citizen-lead comprehensive plan.

Speakers opposed to the variance included (City resident/business owner) Ashley Oliver, Marvin Cooper, Tamela Cooper, Cliff Bradshaw, Sonja McClain, Maggy Oliver, Doug Greene, Maggie Fernandez, (outside City limits) Jim Olson, Diane Nicola, Cheryl Meuleners, Mari Holda, Terry Conner, Wanda Branch, and Tracey Rathmann. While most agreed that work force housing is needed, much of emphasis was on the increased traffic (safety concerns) at this particular property, impact on services (water, sewer, emergency, etc), questioning affordability, limiting of parking and other HOA restrictions, too much density, variance approval potentially leading to more variances.

Chairperson Noblet called an end to the public speaking portion when 45 minutes had been provided to both sides of the issue. She did allow several questions to be asked of the developer, Kim Bucciero. Among other questions, Ms. Bucciero was asked what prohibits a person from purchasing an affordable unit and then selling it at market value (lien is placed on house for the value of the affordability which diminishes over time similar to “sweat equity”), if there was any legal way to enforce the 1 car maximum (HOA/resident self-enforcement), if the project was government subsidized (no government subsidies), about short-term rentals (none – prohibited by HOA) and long-term rental possibilities(only long-term and limited to 20% of the units), how parking is handled (assigned space), HOA fees($100), pets (yes, limit 2 dogs), handicap assessable units (1 -2 units are usually assessable – can be retrofit to be assessable after construction as well), if the City offered incentives to the developer to bring this project to Hiawassee (no), if there were any impact studies done (environmental study has been done).

Chairperson Noblet advised the citizens that the committee had 30 days to decide on the variance request. She adjourned the public hearing at 8:10pm