A proposed Martin Road subdivision that has drawn strong objections from area residents and Hall County was recommended for denial by the Oakwood Planning Commission Tuesday, Jan. 18.

An audience filled with opponents applauded the vote, with some saying, "Thank you."

Cajun-Dawg Land Holdings LLC's proposal for 61 homes at 4465 Martin Road and 4291 and 4292 Falcon Crest Drive now goes before the Oakwood City Council for a public hearing and final vote at a later meeting.

Oakwood staff recommended approval, but planning board members seemed to frown quickly on the proposal.

"It’s a very challenging piece of property," Commissioner Tony Millwood. "I don't see how or why (the city) would want to be down in there."

Cajun-Dawg originally sought last year to build 90 homes on the South Hall property — a project that brought a storm of protest, including a formal objection by Hall County to the developer’s annexation requests.

Cajun-Dawg withdrew the request last summer, after the planning commission recommended denial and before Oakwood City Council was to consider the nearly 26-acre project. The developer since refiled with Oakwood, trimming the number of homes to 61.

“It’s going to be a nice subdivision,” said Johnny Free, president of Cajun-Dawg.

Home prices could range from $450,000 to $650,000, a development official told the planning board Tuesday night.

Area residents, not allowed to speak at the meeting, have said they’re still not sold on the project.

“Martin Road is already absorbing a burden beyond capacity for traffic volume that will only grow as the 312 households of the Atwood apartment community become fully occupied,” Cathy Drerup said, referring to an apartment complex that has opened across from Martin Technology Academy.

Hall County has said it “would be filing a new objection based on the old one that supplements and renews the objections based on new information provided by the applicant,” spokesman Brian Stewart said in an email Friday, Jan. 14..

“The proposed annexation and rezoning would result in a material increase in infrastructure demands upon Hall County,” the old objection stated. “(The) area has developed with lower density residential subdivisions in the past, and the surrounding area is substantially lower density residential in character.”