Comprehensive Plan|HOUSING CHOICES

HOUSING CHOICE AND SPIRIT OF INCLUSIVENESS

Our Community Vision describes the development of strong neighborhoods providing a range of housing options that give people the opportunity to choose housing that bests suits them, while maintaining and enhancing the value of existing neighborhoods. A greater mix of uses and housing choices in neighborhoods focused around human scale, and mixed-use centers that are accessible by multiple transportation modes, provides an atmosphere of inclusiveness of lifestyle, lifecycle and economic realities.

Although there has been a slow increase in the number of attached and multi-family homes, single-family detached homes continue to be the predominate housing type within Cherokee County, Ball Ground and Waleska. The demographic characteristics of those who already live here are changing as they have children, age in place, etc. The living environments that this variety of households will need, such as lower maintenance housing for aging baby boomers, more housing options for the workforce population, increasing single and small households, will help to shape future development.

Various housing types will be required to meet the lifestyle characteristics of the area. The majority of residential development in the County has been single-family residential units at a variety of prices and sizes. This housing mix is attracting younger family households with children and first time homebuyers, and opportunities for move-up and executive housing in a suburban setting. There is also a greater range of housing opportunities at the lower end of the price spectrum than in other metro Atlanta communities, particularly comprised of the older housing stock located in the vicinity of the incorporated areas.

Higher density, multi-family or mixed-use type development fills an economic need for affordable accommodations, as well as special residential population groups such as seniors, or single person households. However, the majority of workforce housing and higher density products are found in the incorporated areas, particularly Woodstock and Canton. This trend is anticipated to continue, as these areas are more likely to be served with sewer and water adequate to accommodate higher intensity development. Such housing is easily integrated into the more dense character envisioned for the County’s primary activity centers and contributes toward the vibrant, pedestrian-oriented, accessible, and mixed-use environment that is desired.

For related policies, implementation strategies and more information on housing, please click here.