Herrmann

THOMASVILLE — Thomasville City Council is next in line to consider the future of the cottage court concept in the city.

The Thomasville Planning and Zoning Commission Monday unanimously approved the housing concept. The panel’s decision will go to city council for the final say-so.

Cottage court housing involves single-family residences around a common court.

Brian Herrmann, city planner, said a cottage court has the following key elements:

• Smaller houses

• Dwellings face a defined court

• Clustered houses make use of a shared space

No one responded when commission Chairman Haile McCollum called for public comments.

Each cottage court development must receive planning and zoning and city council approval.

The housing concept came to the city’s attention when a developer inquired about establishing cottage court housing in the 300 block of Mimosa Drive.

In other business Monday, Herrmann told panel members that when the Mitchell Place subdivision was developed off Remington Avenue, the project was adopted by the city as a traditional neighborhood development. Houses would be of different designs with pedestrian-friendly surroundings.

“The development is very much like the developments around it,” Herrmann told planning and zoning commission members.

The developer wants to change planned multi-family housing at the rear of Mitchell Place to single-family dwellings.

The panel approved the change — from 34 multi-family residences to 16 single-family structures.

“A tremendous benefit to the city will come out of this,” Herrmann said, in reference to the nearby location of the new city bike/walk trail and proximity to Cherokee Lake.

Aaron Coch, a Mitchell Place resident said, “This seems to be something that is very popular.”

Charlie Copeland, a Mitchell Place resident and homeowners association board member, describing the subdivision as quiet, said that to decrease the number of residences would help reduce traffic in the subdivision.

Planing and zoning members unanimously approved a motion to remove a stipulation that says no changes will be allowed in the Mitchell Place concept plan and allow 16 single-family lots.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820