Airport Dr Ball Ground, GA 30107

Sec. 104.13. - GC, General Commercial. A. Purpose and intent. 1) The purpose of this district is to provide sufficient space in appropriate locations for a wide variety of commercial sales and service activities which generally serve a wide area. The permitted uses are generally located along the major thoroughfares of the City. Activities with limited storage may be permitted. Districts are located to create centers or concentrations of commercial activities and to discourage commercial strip development. B. Use limitations and conditions. 1) General Requirements a) All development plans, excluding those for a single home on an existing lot of record, must be drawn by a professional engineer and must be submitted to the City for review and approval before any work may commence. 2) Architectural Requirements a) The mass and spatial relationships should emulate traditional villages and local character. New buildings shall feature design and materials consistent with those found in North Georgia from 1890 thru the 1930s and must be in keeping with the 2007 Master Plan. They shall be compatible in size, scale, mass and roof pitch, with buildings and architectural styles prevalent in the area. The City may require the applicant to involve the services of a certified architect to verify and insure architectural integrity and materials. All designs are subject to review and approval by the Administrator. b) All building facades, including those facing a roadway, shall be of architectural treatments of glass and brick in keeping with the traditional architecture of downtown Ball Ground. Buildings may include additional combinations of stone, architectural block, Stucco and wood. Exterior building materials shall not be concrete masonry units, aluminum siding, vinyl siding or corrugated steel (exceptions: mechanical penthouses & roof screens). c) All ground level windows facing streets shall be clear, unpainted glass to allow view of store interiors and display windows. Mirrored glass with a reflection of greater than twenty percent (20%) and glass curtain walls shall be prohibited. d) Areas of 150 linear feet or more of uninterrupted single finishes for all walls visible from the roadway or parking areas shall be broken up using trellises, arcades, false windows, archways, landscaping, storefront, or recessed panels reminiscent of window, door or colonnade openings.