The Gainesville Planning and Appeals Board on Tuesday evening approved a partial variance request by Georgia Truss LLC. The board approved granting a variance for the company to install a detention pond in a buffer zone, but denied a request to expand the employee parking lot into a buffer zone that protects a creek that feeds into Flat Creek. The company, which had planned to build a new warehouse, has backed off its expansion plans for the time being. The planning board approved the request for one variance to establish a detention pond for stormwater maintenance and other drainage issues because that is a more natural improvement to the property than an asphalt employee parking lot, Community Development Director Rusty Ligon said.