CHAPTER SEVEN: LAND USE ELEMENT
During 1993, the Georgia Mountains Regional Development Center staff conducted an inventory of existing land uses in Hart County. The inventory consisted of a windshield survey of land uses; staff drove each public road as shown on the General Highway Map of the Georgia Department of Transportation and the United States Geological Survey Quadrangle maps. All land uses visible from public roads were recorded. In addition, aerial photographs were used to determine existing land uses which are not accessible or visible from public streets.
The agricultural land use category includes all farms and existing land devoted to growth of field crops or plants, vegetation, and trees, the raising of livestock, poultry houses, and other similar operations. In general, very small plots for gardens were not included in this category because such gardens are considered accessory to the residential uses of the property. Lands were also classified as agricultural if they contained fencing along the property line, or if the land was substantially cleared for pasture. Also, those areas not visible or accessible from public roads were classified as agricultural if a poultry house existed or if it was evident that the land was substantially cleared. Areas of land that are clearly in active forest production ( i.e., planted with young pines) are also included in this category.
This category includes all detached single-family dwellings, along with their customary accessory structures and uses.
This existing land use category includes single-wide and double-wide mobile and manufactured homes on individual lots, including accessory structures and uses. Mobile home parks, or other concentrations of mobile homes on a single lot are also included in this category.
The public/institutional land use category consists of all lands used for government purposes such as schools and fire stations, plus churches, cemeteries, and clubs, private/public colleges, schools and training facilities, and hospitals. In Hart County's case it also includes sanitary landfills.
This category includes such uses as power generation plants such as the 600 acre "Hartwell Energy Limited Partnership" Power Plant located in Hart County, radio towers, communications towers, electricity, telephone and other transmission substations, telephone switching stations, airports and landing strips, and similar uses.
This land use category includes all property of retail business and trade, consumer services such as motels, restaurants, banks, commercial and professional services, and wholesale activities; as well as accessory use areas such as parking and storage. Small-scale retail sales or personal service establishments operated within (or in conjunction with) a residence on the same lot were considered accessory to residential use (a home occupation) and were not included in the commercial classification. Industrial:
The industrial category includes land occupied for the purpose of extracting, fabricating, assembling, and/or refining raw or semi-finished materials.
Land uses in this category include local, state, and federal park lands and recreational areas. Noncommercial campgrounds are included in the category, as are wildlife management areas. Undeveloped:
This category is for land that is vacant, and not developed for a specific use. This category consists of nonagricultural and non-forested lands.
The Bowersville Division, which is located in the northwest portion of the County, is bordered by Interstate 85 and Lake Hartwell to the north and Franklin County to the west. S.R. 77 runs east-west through the area, and crosses Shoal Creek, whose course runs from Lake Hartwell south to the City of Bowersville. The Town of Bowersville is located in the southwest corner of the division, along with a portion of the City of Canon. This Division has been partitioned into three areas for land use discussion purposes; these are the Lake Area, the Town of Bowersville, and the Shoal Creek Area.
The lake area in the northern portion of this division is characterized by subdivisions that border the lake. Primarily single-family residences on small lots occupy this land, with a small number of mobile homes scattered along the lake. Some of the subdivisions include Arrowhead, Tugaloo Bay, Knox Bridge Crossing, Parkertown Heights, and Tugaloo Heights. For the most part, lots fronting the lake are occupied by such residences, while many interior lots remain vacant. Construction of new residences is minimal in this area. The undeveloped land, in general, is heavily wooded. Agricultural land does exist in the lake area, but is limited to a few fields. Public and commercial uses in the lake area include churches and cemeteries, the Clem's Music Park facility on S.R. 77 near the Parkertown intersection, and Harbor Light Marina located in the northwest. Also Hartwell Marina off North Forrest Avenue.
The only other commercial developments in the lake area are gas stations and a restaurant. Moreover, the I-85 exit contains a vacant commercial spot, gas stations, and a convenience store/restaurant. There are no industrial uses in the lake vicinity. TCU uses are limited to a power substation in the Parkertown Heights subdivision.
The Town of Bowersville is largely an agricultural area, with the Southern Rail line extending north-south through the city. Most of the development in the city is located along the rail line and in the center of Bowersville. The majority of development in Bowersville is residential, and is located along State Routes 17, 341, 51, and Shirley Road. Single-family units are, in some cases, located on small lots, and in many cases, located adjacent to large agricultural tracts. While most of the residences are conventional single-family units, there are many mobile homes dispersed among the single family dwellings. Several of the mobile homes appear to be located on large lots, with one unit per lot. There are no mobile home parks or multi-family developments. However, within the city center, residential lots are surrounded by wooded areas and small gardens. Commercial development in the city is located primarily in central Bowersville, and includes a laundry, lighting retail store, bank, and gas station/convenience store. There are two vacant commercial sites in the city. Located outside of the city center, along S.R. 17, is a small commercial auto shop.
Industrial uses are minimal within Bowersville but include a van conversion business, a manufacturing business, and an electrical service shop. Public and institutional uses consist of a voting hall, city hall, four churches and two cemeteries, and a fire station.
Transportation, communication, and utility uses include a power substation, a parking lot, and a water tower. Most of the land outlying from the city center is agricultural; however, large tracts of land in the western portion of the city remain vacant and wooded. Poultry houses are located on agricultural lands in the northern sections, along S.R. 17, and near the city limits along Main Street. To the southwest, a poultry house is located near the city limit along S.R. 17. A particularly scenic view of open fields and wooded area is located to the north of Sutton Road.
The Shoal Creek Area encompasses the remaining portion of the land in this division. It extends south of the lake area down to the southern portion of the Canon city limits. Canon and the Town of Bowersville are excluded from the description of the Shoal Creek Area. The majority of land in this area is agricultural, with many large open fields. A large area of forested land is located south of the lake area and west of S.R. 77. Poultry farms are prevalent, and seem to be concentrated primarily just north of the Town of Bowersville. Dairy farms exist east of Bowersville, and an orchard is located between Bowersville and Canon on S.R. 51. Undeveloped land occurs in small isolated patches throughout the division.
Residential uses consist of conventional single-family and mobile homes that are located on large agricultural tracts. Housing is fairly dispersed but is more concentrated around several major intersections. Commercial and public uses are also concentrated at these areas. These intersections are known locally as the Shoal Creek, Cross Roads, Maretts, and Airline communities.
The Shoal Creek community, located at the intersection of S.R. 77 and Shoal Creek Road, is primarily residential, with a large number of mobile homes. The community is characterized by Providence Church and a fire station. The Cross Roads community is located at the intersections of S.R. 77, Lou Gurley Road, Will Bailey Rd., and Airline School Road. The Cross Roads and Union Hill Church are also located in this area. The Maretts community is located along the border of the division, at the intersection of County Route 503, Walt Wilson Road, and S.R. 77 Connector. This community has a small grocery and an auto repair shop. Single-family residences comprise the primary land use along these roads. The Airline Community, which is the most densely developed community in this division, is located east of Bowersville, along S.R. 51 and the Southern Rail Line. Commercial uses in this community include a convenience store and a gas station. Airline Elementary School is also located here. Several TCU uses include a rail lookout tower, Hart County Telephone switching station, and two electric substations. Residential development, in the form of single-family dwellings, is dense along S.R. 51.
Commercial uses outside of these communities include the Lavonia Speedway, on S.R. 77, an auto repair shop and used car lot, a feed store, gas stations, a van conversion business, an electric company, and a small junk yard.
Industrial uses consist of Parkertown Mill, on S.R. 77, near Shoal Creek, and Misty Mills, also on S.R. 77 just east of Lavonia. One other small industrial facility is located just north of the Town of Bowersville. Public uses in the Shoal Creek Area are comprised primarily of churches and cemeteries. TCU land uses include a radio antenna. Scenic views of rolling agricultural fields exist in the Shoal Creek Area just north of the Airline Community, off Martin Dairy Rd., and near the Cross Roads community seen from Will Bailey Rd. 7.2.2. Royston Division. The Royston Division includes portions of the City of Royston, the Vanna area, and all land located to the west of North Beaverdam Creek and south of Carlton Brown Road. Madison and Elbert Counties border this division to the south. This section will describe all land within this division, with the exception of the City of Royston. The division has been split into the Goldmine and Vanna areas for descriptive purposes.
The Goldmine Area covers the northern and central portions of the division. This area is characterized primarily by the Goldmine community, located along U.S. 29 at Airline-Goldmine Road, and more concentrated residential, commercial, and industrial development on State Routes 17 and 29 leading out of the City of Royston.
Commercial land use is prevalent at the intersection of U.S. 29, Airline-Goldmine Road, and Bonds Road. Commercial uses include gas stations, a convenience grocery, restaurants, auto repair, a junk yard, a beauty shop and shoe repair, a farm equipment supplier and several other single unit commercial structures. Industrial uses include a lumber company located just outside Royston on U.S. 29, and another small industrial site at the Goldmine community intersection. Several churches and cemeteries dot the area and Eagle Grove School resides on the border of this division at the intersection of U.S. 29 and Eagle Grove School Rd. A fire station is located at the Goldmine intersection.
The Royston Bypass has recently been completed between S.R. 17 and S.R. 122. This bypass will allow the movement of traffic between the two thoroughfares without entering the Royston City limits. Next to Eagle Grove School is a telephone switching station. Lake Goldmine, located southeast of Redwine Church Road and Beaverdam Farm Road, appears to be a site for future residential development since new roads have been paved surrounding the lake. Residences in the Goldmine Area, in general, are conventional single-family, with a few well-dispersed mobile homes. The singlefamily homes typically front large agricultural fields. Several new subdivisions are located near Royston, on S.R. 17. These include Country Ridge Estates, Deerfield, and Virginia Hills. The mobile homes are concentrated mostly on roads near and surrounding Royston. Agricultural land is characterized primarily by large open fields and pastures and poultry farms. In addition, a large commercial nursery is located on Bonds Road, off of U.S. 29. Forested land exists in a pattern of ribbons, mostly along the various water courses and small lakes and ponds. Undeveloped land is sporadically located along various roadways, with no particular concentrations. Several scenic views in the Goldmine area include those seen from Farm Road and Store Lane. The views are of agricultural land as it drops in elevation toward Beaverdam Creek.
Vanna, once an incorporated area, lies in the southwestern portion of the county. S.R. 17 and Southern Railway both run through the former Vanna city limits. While the land in this area is largely agricultural, residential population is concentrated where S.R. 17 and the railroad intersect. Residences consist largely of conventional single-family housing with only a few mobile homes in this area. Most of the homes, even in these denser areas, are abutted by agricultural land to the rear. Several small orchards are also located within the denser residential area.
Poultry and dairy farms exist in the outlying areas. There is very little forested or undeveloped land directly in Vanna; however, land to the east of Vanna is largely agricultural and forested. Commercial uses in the Vanna area include several gas stations, an auto repair shop, a small printing company on Corinth Church Road, a poultry equipment business, a battery sales business, and a restaurant, all on S.R. 17. A van conversion business is located on Partlow Road. No other industrial uses are present.
Public uses include several churches, and a fire station located along the rail tracks. TCU uses are limited to a power generator and substation and the rail line. Scenic views are provided by orchards located in the concentrated residential area of Vanna as well as hilly agricultural lands located off of County Route 121 near the Hart County line.
The Reed Creek Division, which is located in the northeast portion of the County, is bordered by Lake Hartwell to the north, east, and southeast, by Lightwood Log Creek to the south, and by the Bowersville Division to the west. The Reed Creek Division has been divided into the Lake Area ( which includes all of the land fronting the lake to the north, east, and south), and the Reed Creek Area for purposes of description.
As in the Bowersville district, the lake area in this division is characterized by subdivisions that border the lake. The Reed Creek lake area, however, appears to be more heavily developed than the Bowersville Division lake area. Conventional single-family residences, located primarily in subdivisions, occupy this land, with very few mobile home units. There are, however, a few exceptions as the lake area in the southern portion of this division has a fairly high concentration of mobile homes. There is also a mobile home park located near a private air landing strip off of County Route 503 just before it crosses S.R. 51 over the lake. The north lake area has many subdivisions along the lake. Some of these include Monroe Marett, Hugh Marett, Panorama Point, and Dobbs Landing. For the most part, lots fronting the lake are residentially developed, while many interior lots remain vacant. The vacant land, in general, is heavily wooded. There is no evidence of significant new construction, although there are some areas where land has been subdivided and areas cleared for new roads. The eastern lakefront is more densely developed with single-family housing. Some of the subdivisions include Thomas E. Meyers, Cranes Creek, Crawford Ferry, Lake Forest, Sentu Point, Harbor Point and Vickery. The southern lake area in this division is also well developed, with very few remaining residential lots. Some of the subdivisions include Panorama Point, Points and Coves, Riviera Shores, Lightwood, and Robinwood. Agricultural land is more prevalent near the lake residential areas than in the Bowersville Division.
Forested areas are mostly Corp of Engineers reserved lands directly on the lake. In addition to these reserved lands, Corp of Engineers parks noted in this area include a boat ramp, located far east along the lake in the Hatton Ford Road area, a campground and boat ramp facility near the Paradise Point subdivision, and New Prospect Park boat ramp near the Riviera Shores subdivision. Other recreational areas include the Lake Hartwell Yacht Club in the southern portion of the lake area off Yacht Club Drive.
Located near Hatton Ford Road is a small, private air field, accessible from Mustang Drive. Another private air strip is located in the southern lake area where County Route 503 meets S.R. 51. Radio satellite dishes are found near New Hope Church, east of the Reed Creek intersection. Public uses include several churches located along the main roads. No industrial uses are present in the lake area. Scenic views of the lake are abundant.
All of the remaining land in this division is described as the Reed Creek Area. This area is characterized by several small communities, located at intersections of two or more roads. These include the Reed Creek community, located in the northeastern portion of the Division, at Country Route 301 and S.R. 51; and the Mount Olivet community at the intersection of County Route 503, Beacon Light Road, and Morris Road. Like the other divisions previously described, the Reed Creek Area is largely agricultural, with undeveloped forested areas following water courses and small lakes. Poultry farming is present, but is not particularly concentrated in this division. Vacant, undeveloped land is minimal in this area and is dispersed throughout.
Residential development consists mostly of conventional single-family homes, with mobile homes dispersed throughout. The residences usually front large agricultural tracts of land. While subdivisions predominate in the lake area, the remaining residential land use within this division is linear in nature, located along the roadways. Exceptions to this are the Holly Hills residential area near the Mt. Olive intersection, and subdivided, developed residential areas near the landing strip on the south side of the lake. Mobile homes are dispersed with no particular areas of concentration other than those in the lake areas previously mentioned. Commercial developments at the Reed Creek intersection consist of a gas station, restaurant and gift shop. Along S.R. 51 as it approaches the Hartwell City limits, are garage, gas station, and auto sales establishments.
Other commercial uses in the Reed Creek Area include auto repair, a veterinary facility with kennels, gas stations/convenience stores, two private boat storage facilities, a nursery, a gas tank sales business, and several other single unit commercial structures. The main industrial use is a hydraulics plant, located northeast of the Maretts intersection. In addition, Turner Concrete and two private recycling centers are located on S.R. 51 near the Hartwell City limits. Public uses in the Reed Creek Area include a generous scattering of churches and cemeteries. In addition, Mount Olivet Elementary School is located at the Mount Olivet intersection, and a fire station is located in the Reed Creek community. Park and recreational areas not directly located along the lake include ball fields near Mount Olivet Elementary School on Beacon Light Road, and the Possum Trail Hunting Club on County Route 503, north of the Maretts community.
Transportation, communication and utilities land uses are limited to a radio tower on New Hope Church Road, a telephone switching station and power generator at the Reed Creek community intersection, and other scattered power substations.
The Hartwell Division is situated in the south central portion of the county, between the Royston Division and the Hartwell Dam Division. It is bounded by Lightwood Log Creek to the north, and Elbert County to the south. The western portion of the City of Hartwell is included in this Division, but has been excluded from this land use description. For purposes of this description, the Division has been divided into the following areas: Eagle Grove, Bio and Hartwell Area.
The Eagle Grove Area is located in the western portion of the division. The area is predominantly agricultural with undeveloped forested areas located along rivers, streams, and other bodies of water. Vacant, undeveloped areas are minimal, with one large area located to the east of the Eagle Grove intersection. Residential development is mostly conventional single-family, with mobile homes dispersed throughout the area. Subdivisions in this area include undeveloped sites on Eagle Lake at Eagle Lake Road, and the neighboring Eagle Heights subdivision.
The only area of mobile home concentration occurs along Clay Brown Road near 207 Commercial uses in the Eagle Grove Area are limited to a few gas stations, a mini-storage business, and auto related businesses. Industrial uses include a seed producer on Seed Cleaner Road and a cabinet manufacturer on Jud Cole Road. In addition to churches, cemeteries and garbage disposal sites, other public uses include Eagle Grove School, located at the Eagle Grove community (intersection of U.S. 29 and County Route 505). A telephone switching station at the Eagle Grove intersection and a water tower, located along U.S. 29 near Kesler Road. constitute TCU land uses. In addition, a large power generator station is found on John W. Jordan Road.
The Hartwell Area is comprised of land located in the vicinity of the southwest Hartwell City limit. It contains little agricultural land as many other land uses are present. Undeveloped forested land is abundant in the vicinity of Lightwood Log Creek. Dense single-family residential areas and subdivisions are concentrated near the city limit along U.S. 29, and along S.R. 172. A mobile home park is located where U.S. 29 intersects Zion Church Road.
Commercial uses are more prevalent near the Hartwell City limit and consist of gas stations/convenience stores, a hardware store, fire equipment sales, car sales and repair, and other retail establishments. Industrial uses are also abundant, and include the Hart Industrial Park (containing Dundee and others), a Home Builder business, and two other manufacturing sites, all on U.S. 29, and an additional industrial site near the lake off of S.R. 51. A large-acre strip mine operation is located off of S.R. 172, near the city limit.
Public uses consist of several churches and cemeteries, and a youth center located on U.S. 29. The Hartwell Sewage Plant is located off of S.R. 77 near the city limit. Other TCU land uses include a Georgia Power office and an adjacent electrical transmission tower on Zion Church Rd., as well as a water tower near the Hart Industrial Park. Park and recreational uses in this area include the Hartwell Golf Club off of U.S. 29, and the Hart Memorial Park Cemetery also on U.S. 29 near the city limit. The Cherokee Memorial is found at U.S. 29 and Zion Church Road.
The Bio Area is less densely developed than the other areas in this division. Agricultural and undeveloped forested land are prevalent. A few concentrations of vacant, undeveloped land exist. Residential development is mostly single-family fronting large agricultural tracts. No single-family subdivisions exist in this area. Mobile homes are scattered, although there are concentrations at the intersection of Thornton Road and Liberty Church Road and on Allen and Orsley Roads. The main commercial use in this area is the Hartwell Speedway. Other commercial businesses include gas stations, auto sales, a junk yard, and farm equipment sales. No industrial uses exist in this area. Public uses include several churches and the Bio Fire Department on Bio Church Road. TCU use includes a natural gas station. There are no designated park/recreational lands in the Bio Area. 7.2.5. Hartwell Dam Division.
The Hartwell Dam Division includes land in the southeastern portion of Hart County. The division is bounded by the Savannah River to the east, Elbert County to the south, Lake Hartwell to the north, and State Routes 77, 172, Bio Church Road and E & M Dairy Road to the west. The eastern portion of the City of Hartwell is included in this division, but has been excluded from this land use discussion. For description purposes, this division has been partitioned into the Lake Area, the Wildlife Management Area, and the Nancy Hart Area.
The lake area in this division has less residential development than the other Divisions, as it includes the non-residential Hartwell Dam area. Hartwell Energy Limited Partnership power plant is located here. Denser residential subdivisions are located primarily in the lake areas northeast of the City of Hartwell. They consist mostly of conventional single-family residences, with very few mobile homes. Along U.S. 29, which runs eastward along the lake to the dam, residences become less prevalent directly on the lake, but are prominent along the highway. One mobile home park, however, is located near Calvary Church on U.S. 29. Residential development along the lake ceases at the point where U.S 29 approaches the dam area. Agricultural land is present in the area, but is not as prevalent as in other lake areas. Particularly noticeable are orchards located off of U.S. 29, northeast of Hartwell. There does not appear to be any poultry farming in the Hartwell Dam Lake Area. There is, however, a great amount of forested land, particularly near the City of Hartwell along U.S. 29, and in the vicinity of Hartwell Dam. There is also a substantial amount of forested lakefront land reserved by the Corp of Engineers in this area.
Commercial uses along the lake are also mostly located on U.S. 29. They include a boat storage facility, the Budget Inn, Jameson Inn, new Ingles and Winn Dixie supermarkets, several mobile home sales businesses, a few retail stores, and a realty. In and near the Hartwell City limits are a Wal-Mart commercial retailer, gas stations, and other retail establishments. An industrial site is also located near the Hartwell City limit. Public uses along the lake are limited to a few churches, and an office building near Hartwell. In addition, towards the dam are the Hartwell Lake Reservoir Management Offices and the Land Management Offices. TCU uses consist of a radio tower, gas line station and a transmission station across the street from the Hartwell Lake Management Offices, as well as a power substation located where Lake Hartwell meets the Savannah River (by the dam).
Parks and recreation facilities are prevalent in this area, with the Hartwell Marina located where North Forest Avenue ends at the lake and Hart State Park at Fernwood Ridge Road. In addition, in the Hartwell Dam area, a recreational park lies adjacent to the Hartwell Lake Management Offices, as well as the park surrounding Hartwell Dam.
Scenic views in this area include the orchards previously noted in the northeast lake area, as well as views of Lake Hartwell from U.S. 29. The park at Hartwell Dam is particularly scenic as a long paved walkway extends from a parking area, along the lake, to the dam.
The Wildlife Management Area (980 acres) is located in the southeast portion of the division. It includes land extending south of U.S. 29, west of the Savannah River, north of the County line, and east from the Hart County Wildlife Management Area. In general, this area is more heavily wooded than any other section in the county. Several of the roads in the easternmost portion are blocked and impassible. Agricultural land exists mostly closer to U.S. 29, and to the south of the Hart County Wildlife Management Area, which is itself virtually all forested.
Commercial uses are limited to auto related businesses. There are no industrial uses in this area. Public uses include several churches and dispersed garbage dumpsters. Residential development is concentrated primarily south of the dam near S.R. 181. Most of the residences in this area are mobile homes, and the area, in general, is not as well maintained as other areas of the county.
Housing is also more concentrated both north and south of the Hart County Wildlife Management Area, mostly with single-family residences. There is a clustering of mobile homes where Burbick Road intersects S.R. 77, spur along Seawright Lane, and to the northeast of the Hart County Wildlife Management Area. A scenic view overlooking pasture land is noted traveling south towards the Hart County Wildlife Management Area.
The Nancy Hart Area includes all land in this division west of the Hart County Wildlife Management Area and south of U.S. 29 and the Hartwell City limits. The division boundary crosses the community of Nuberg where Coldwater Creek Road intersects S.R. 77 in the southern portion of the county. The Nancy Hart Area is one of the more highly developed areas within the county. While agricultural land is prevalent, residential development is relatively dense. Undeveloped forested areas are more common just south of the Hartwell City limits, and then are located mostly along rivers, streams and ponds. Poultry farming is present, but limited in this area, as dairy farms are more common. Very little vacant, undeveloped land exists.
The majority of the residential development is conventional single-family homes, located along most of the roadways. A particularly heavy concentration of conventional single-family residences occurs near the Hartwell City limit where S.R. 77 splits. Several concentrations of mobile homes are located where Liberty Hill Church Road forks with Page Road, and to the north and south of the landfill off S.R. 172. Commercial uses in the Nancy Hart Area consist of a restaurant, auto repair and sales, junk yard, outdoor equipment sales, boat equipment sales, gas stations, and several other single unit businesses. A small industrial site is located at the Nuberg intersection. Two additional industrial sites are located just south of the Hartwell City limit, and two others are located near Cedar Creek Church, just west of the Nancy Hart School.
Public uses are also more prevalent in this area. In addition to the various churches, there are two schools. One is an old school house located across from Flat Rock Church on Flat Rock Road, and the other is the Nancy Hart School. The Nancy Hart Volunteer Fire Department is located along the S.R. 77 Spur near Flat Rock Road.
Finally, the Hart County landfill is located off of S.R. 172 on County Route 379. TCU uses include power substations, a generator south of Liberty Hill Church, and a telephone switching station. No major park/recreational land exists in this area.
Land use plans typically address such land use problems and issues as: strip commercial development, agricultural-residential land use conflicts, blighted/redevelopment areas, residential-commercial land use conflicts, residential density considerations, the adequacy of public facilities to support development, and so forth. Hart County exhibits unique physical attributes and development patterns worthy of consideration prior to designing future land use plans. The most significant problems and issues are discussed in this section.
Residential subdivisions have developed in virtually all areas of land on Lake Hartwell. While those areas on the eastern part of the lake appear to be close to fully developed, residential development on the northern lake area is not as dense. What is noticeable in this area, however, is that the subdivided lake front lots usually contain a residence while interior lots are vacant. Thus there is available land for future residential growth in the northern lake area.
An area of deteriorating housing exists south of the Hartwell Dam, and to the east of S.R. 181. The housing is, in general, mostly mobile homes situated in heavily forested areas. This area may be a potential location for a rural improvement project or grant.
The City of Hartwell is accessible by several State Highways which enter and leave the city limits from virtually all directions. These are State Routes 51, 77, 172, and U.S. 29 (SR 8). As a result, residential, commercial, and industrial development along these highways becomes more dense as they approach Hartwell. Moreover, future development growth is likely to continue in a pattern outward from the city limits in a linear fashion along these roadways. Currently, residential development is organized into subdivisions to the northeast and northwest of the City of Hartwell, but remains, for the most part, singularly positioned along the roadways to the south of the city. There is a tremendous amount of land available south of the city limits to increase residential density via subdivision or multi-family housing development. Likewise, commercial and industrial development continues to extend outward along these highways from Hartwell. Similar patterns exist to a lesser degree on U.S. 29 and S.R. 17 approaching the City of Royston.
Repeated concerns about the substantial growth in the number of mobile homes in Hart County (see housing element) have been expressed by the planning advisory committee. In brief, the continued development of mobile/manufactured homes becomes a land use compatibility issue as well as a financial/service provision issue). See community survey results.
The Future Land Use Plan 2015 for the Town of Bowersville utilizes the minimum required classification scheme provided by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs as described in Section 7.1. The county's future land use plan uses the same classification scheme, with two exceptions. First, the county plan provides a "special use agriculture" category in addition to the standard agricultural/forestry classification. The special use agriculture category is intended to provide areas for poultry and hog farms removed from residential development. Second, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' classification of land within the reservoir boundary (all considered parks, recreation and conservation) is integrated in the county's future land use plan. These include the following subsections of the parks, recreation, conservation category:
The plan supports the concentration of single-family residential development primarily within designated "urban growth areas or boundaries," where public water service is probable and sanitary sewer service is a possibility. Secondly, the plan recommends that residential development be encouraged to locate in existing neighborhoods in the vicinity of Lake Hartwell ("infill"). Local sources have noted these non-lake frontage lots are largely vacant and difficult to sell, but given the fact that they are already platted and in areas of existing development, they should eventually develop for residential use. Third, the plan recommends that the residential development taking place outside the urban growth boundaries be directed into existing residentially developed ares. The plan policies also recognize that individual residences associated with farms will continue to be constructed in a scattered fashion, provided that densities remain very low (on average, no more than one unit per five acres of farmland) and that the location of residences do not impinge on agricultural activities. Regarding multiple-family residential development, it is anticipated that most of the higher density development will occur within the city limits of Hartwell, due to the availability of public sanitary sewerage service. Although the plan specifically does not set aside areas for multiple family residential development, plan policies do not preclude these developments within the Hartwell urban growth boundary. Regarding mobile home/manufactured homes, the plan does not distinguish between areas that are suitable and unsuitable for manufactured home development. This is based on legal questions as well as the expressed desires of the Hart County Planning Advisory Committee. However, the plan does support implementation of countywide manufactured home installation/set-up standards designed to improve the quality, value and compatibility of individual manufactured homes locating in the county.
As with residential development, the future land use plan supports the concentration of commercial/industrial development with designated urban growth areas. Two major commercial areas expected to develop within the planning horizon are: 1) the Interstate 85 interchange in Hart County extending south to SR 59; and 2) the U.S. 29 corridor east of Hartwell.
Similarly, future industrial development is forecasted/desired to locate near the I-85 interchange and south of Hartwell (where existing industry has located), both within urban growth boundaries. Outside of urban growth areas, new industrial development is generally not anticipated to occur, although some distribution/warehouse facilities (which probably would not require sanitary sewer) may locate in northwest Hart County including the Bowersville area.
Some smaller scale commercial development is anticipated to take place to serve the needs of rural households in outlying areas of the county. The Future Land Use Plan 2015 recommends that this commercial development outside urban growth boundaries be limited to small "rural convenience" or "crossroads commercial" development around certain identified intersections. In the Reed Creek area, if infill residential development occurs as recommended in the plan, then the commercial crossroads in Reed Creek may have market demand sufficient to support medium scale suburban shopping centers.
The plan identifies areas of existing poultry houses along with areas of expansion for the poultry industry and hog farms in places removed from residential development. The vast majority of the county land area is indicated as agricultural/forestry, given the substantial amount of farmland/open fields existing in the county.
The Future Land Use Plan indicates all known flood plains and wetlands (of approximately three acres or more) as conservation areas. Several significant groundwater recharge areas exist in Hart County and are identified on the future land use plan; new development is not encouraged to locate in these sensitive areas. Stream buffers are reflected in the plan along streams in the North Fork, Broad River water supply watershed. Development along Lake Hartwell as proposed in the plan is consistent with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Shoreline Management Plan, intended to protect this valuable natural resource.
Table 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4 provides a listing of estimated acreages of existing and future land use by land use category for Bowersville and unincorporated Hart County. For Hart County percentage wise, commercial land use will more than double from 0.30% to 0.67%. Other land uses that should experience significant growth will be industrial and T/C. Residential/public/institutional and park/recreation/conservation will also experience some growth. At the expense of growth in these land uses, the amount of agricultural and undeveloped land will decrease from 128,074 acres, or 77.72% of the land, to 122,824 acres, or 74.5%. Much of Hart County's commercial and industrial growth should occur in the area along I-85 and these transportation routes that link the City of Hartwell to Athens, Anderson, South Carolina and to I-85. Residential growth should concentrate in an infill basis, along Lake Hartwell and around the City of Hartwell. Bowersville should experience tremendous residential growth, doubling from 13.96% of the land use to 27.88%. Commercial and industrial land uses should experience exceptional growth. Bowersville will also develop land for parks and recreation by the year 2015. Land estimated for floodplains and wetlands for both jurisdiction, has been included in the undeveloped land use category.
| EXISTING LAND USE - 1994 |
||||
| LUC-ID |
DESCRIPTION |
ACRES |
PERCENT |
|
| 1 |
Residential |
18,242.3239 |
11.07 |
|
| 2 |
Commercial |
500.4638 |
0.30 |
|
| 3 |
Industrial |
675.3204 |
0.41 |
|
| 4 |
Public/Institutional |
507.2595 |
0.31 |
|
| 5 |
Transportation/Communication/Utilities |
272.3765 |
0.17 |
|
| 6 |
Park/Recreation/Conservation |
1,539.9981 |
0.93 |
|
| 7 |
Agriculture/Forest |
56,935.1376 |
34.54 |
|
| 8 |
Undeveloped |
71,183.8450 |
43.18 |
|
| - |
Lake |
14,998.7460 |
9.09 |
|
| TOTAL |
164,855.4867 |
100.00 |
||
| FUTURE LAND USE - 2015 |
||||
| LUC-ID |
DESCRIPTION |
ACRES |
PERCENT |
|
| 1 |
Residential |
21,160.7073 |
12.84 |
|
| 2 |
Commercial |
1,101.7966 |
0.67 |
|
| 3 |
Industrial |
1,244.8771 |
0.76 |
|
| 4 |
Public/Institutional |
731.3328 |
0.44 |
|
| 5 |
Transportation/Communication/Utilities |
760.5848 |
0.46 |
|
| 6 |
Park/Recreation/Conservation |
1,539.9981 |
1.24 |
|
| 7 |
Agriculture/Forest |
53,697.2022 |
32.57 |
|
| 8 |
Undeveloped |
67,442.3796 |
40.91 |
|
| 9 |
Special Use: Agriculture |
1,684.5539 |
1.02 |
|
| - |
Lake |
14,998.7460 |
9.09 |
|
| TOTAL |
164,855.4867 |
100.00 |
||
| EXISTING LAND USE - 1994 |
||||
| LUC-ID |
DESCRIPTION |
ACRES |
PERCENT |
|
| 1 |
Residential |
307.2728 |
13.96 |
|
| 2 |
Commercial |
8.6435 |
0.40 |
|
| 3 |
Industrial |
19.3190 |
0.88 |
|
| 4 |
Public/Institutional |
20.8537 |
0.95 |
|
| 5 |
Transportation/Communication/Utilities |
3.8071 |
0.17 |
|
| 6 |
Parks |
0 |
0.00 |
|
| 7 |
Agriculture |
1,290.0505 |
58.61 |
|
| 8 |
Undeveloped |
497.2467 |
22.59 |
|
| 9 |
Mobile Home |
51.4841 |
2.34 |
|
| TOTAL |
164,855.4867 |
100.00 |
||
|
FUTURE LAND USE – 2015 |
||||
| LUC-ID |
DESCRIPTION |
ACRES |
PERCENT |
|
| 1 |
Residential |
613.7323 |
27.88 |
|
| 2 |
Commercial |
21.8968 |
0.99 |
|
| 3 |
Industrial |
86.1854 |
3.92 |
|
| 4 |
Public/Institutional |
20.8537 |
0.95 |
|
| 5 |
Transportation/Communication/Utilities |
3.8071 |
0.17 |
|
| 6 |
Parks |
0 |
0.00 |
|
| 7 |
Agriculture |
1,071.3364 |
48.67 |
|
| 8 |
Undeveloped |
319.4674 |
14.51 |
|
| 9 |
Mobile Home |
55.2474 |
2.51 |
|
| TOTAL |
2,201.0951 |
100.00 |
||
| WETLANDS & FLOOD PLAINS |
35.6184 |
|||