Economy impacts Flowery Branch construction decision

FLOWERY BRANCH – The down economy is affecting one man’s decision to bring business to Flowery Branch.

At a public hearing on Thursday night, the Flowery Branch City Council heard about Robert Bozzone’s request to annex and re-zone two pieces of property totaling about 6 acres on Old Orr Road.

“We’re actually intending to do office buildings and a storage warehouse,” Bozzone said.

The office space is projected to total about 60,000 square feet and the self-storage facility is planned to be 70,000 square feet. But even if the city council approves his request, Bozzone said he may not begin construction immediately.

“With the environment we’re in right now, economically and so forth, we’re just not really sure yet,” he explained.

Bozzone said the credit markets in particular are making it difficult. “We’ve got a tight money supply going on right now in financing.”

If the annexation is approved, City Planner James Riker said some improvements to Old Orr Road will likely be needed due to increased traffic.

“Fifteen percent of the trips to the self-storage facility are anticipated to be trucks or larger vehicles,” he said.

Bozzone is also asking the city to annex an approximately 3-acre tract on Holland Dam Road, though he has no specific plans for the site.

“We’re just getting it re-zoned for highway business,” Bozzone said.

The city council will vote on the annexation and re-zoning proposals at its meeting on Oct. 15.