The Hall County Planning Commission approved Gold Creek Acquisitions I LLC’s application to rezone its property and two properties it’s in the process of purchasing as it expands its newly remodeled poultry operation in anticipation of adding 200 more employees in 2013.

Gold Creek Processing spent $2 million renovating and updating its new poultry plant in South Hall and began operating at the end of October. The additional property the holding company is purchasing has two buildings, which will be used for security, training and office space, Mark Sosebee, CEO and co-founder, wrote in a letter. The new acreage will also assist with overflow parking.

Parking was the commission’s focus on the application. While company executives said they have more than 200 employees working two shifts Monday through Saturday, there are only 77 spaces, less than county planning staff suggested in the previously approved plan.

Dana Miles, company representative, said the company has more parking space than it currently needs.

“They’re developing that in phases,” Miles said. “Parking is adequate for 50 more cars.”

Sosebee told commission members that sewer pipes near or under the road leading to the plant prevent Gold Creek from expanding parking at this time because the road needs to be rerouted. Commission Chairman Don Smallwood sought assurance that the company will expand parking areas as part of the rezoning and addition of space.

“They fully intend to build it out as needed,” Miles said.

Sosebee also assured commission member Johnny Varner that a buffer will be established to prevent company employees from accessing residential property bordering the plant facilities.

“We’ll get with those folks,” Miles said.

Sosebee said the processing plant began sizing chicken tenders on Oct. 29 and moves an average of 363,000 pounds of chicken per week. Gold Creek Processing’s sister company in Dawsonville employs nearly 900 employees, working three shifts running from Monday to Sunday, Sosebee said in the letter.

The Hall County Board of Commissioners will consider the application at its Jan. 10 meeting.