The proposal by Minerva Properties to develop the 2,000-acre Friendship Village in south Fulton County moved one step closer reality April 17 when it gained approval by a slim margin from Fulton County’s Community Zoning Board (CZB).

The board approved the zoning request from AG-1 to CHC-MIX, essentially providing the basis for the development of the village. That vote, however, came by way of apparent confusion by some board members and ended with a 3-2-1 vote. Friendship Village is situated in the Chattahoochee Hill Country (CHC) Overlay District, an area overseen by the county commission-appointed CHC Design Review Board (DRB).

Some CZB members did not seem to understand the role and significance of DRB in approving or denying development plans in the Chatt Hills area. Minerva had previously gained project approval by DRB. Known for keeping a watchful eye on the CHC Overlay District, the seven-member DRB, composed of Chatt Hills residents, approved the rezoning and all but three of the 20 variances requested by Minerva. Those denied were applicable to garages and parking issues. On other issues relating to the Friendship Village proposal, CZB members April 17 acted on staff recommendation in approving a number of other variance requests and denying several others.

Prior to the vote, several area residents stated their opposition to one or more facets of the Friendship Village proposal. Residents surfaced concerns such as access to their property, the positioning of adjacent greenspace, the negative impact of high-density development in proximity to rural land and the fear that little-used area roads would be adversely impacted. Project representative Woody Galloway, Minerva co-owner Brian Davison and Friendship Village Project Manager Stacy Patton said they would meet with concerned residents prior to the project being considered in May by Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

As proposed, Friendship Village is situated on approximately 2,000 acres east of Cochran Mill Road, west of Ga. Highway 154 and largely north of Rivertown Road. A small portion of the village would be located south of Rivertown. Businesses totaling just under a million square feet would be located predominantly in the southeast portion of the village, near Rivertown Road, South Fulton Parkway and Hwy. 154. Also in the same area would be 116,500 square feet of civic and institutional space. Perhaps the most noteworthy of the plans for Friendship Village lies in what will not be built. The village, Galloway said, would include 60 percent greenspace.

Referencing the residential component, with an anticipated 17-year build-out, are 2,197 single-family detached homes ranging largely in price from $250,000-400,000 with some up to $1 million. Other proposed residential offerings include 735 above retail/office residential units, 350 townhouse units, 1,699 condos, 550 carriage houses and 450 apartment units.

“The idea is to provide a mix of development and to serve a wide variety of residents,” Galloway said.

His comment was in line with project renderings that show arcing residential nodes spaced inside the winding creek beds of the Pea Creek basin. The village is also expected to be outfitted with inter-connected trails and pedestrian-friendly cart paths. Though years away, the village is projected to be home to 12,000-15,000 residents at build-out.

Asked previously if Friendship Village would include a golf course as an amenity, Davison and Patton said Minerva was more interested in the idea of establishing a charter school with an environmental education program in the village. Galloway confirmed April 18 that, if successfully undertaken, the school would function as a public school under the auspices of Fulton County.