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Vote delayed on new downtown Flowery Branch building for pizzeria, craft beer business
0202FLOWERY
Karen Ching speaks to the Flowery Branch Historic Preservation Commission about plans to put a new retail/office building in the city’s downtown.

A Flowery Branch businesswoman is going to have to wait a bit longer before moving on plans to construct a new building that would house a pizzeria and a craft beer business in the South Hall city’s business district.

The Historic Preservation Commission put off a final decision Wednesday on Karen Ching’s request for a certificate of appropriateness until Feb. 15.

The board wants more detailed drawings indicating the architectural touches Ching wants for the building off Main and Mitchell streets.

“Make it simple and tell us what you’re going to do,” commission member Mary Jones told Ching. “There’s not anybody that doesn’t want you to do it.”

Ching was willing to work through the process to get approval.

“We’ll meet any conditions you set forth,” she said.

A certificate of appropriateness must be obtained by property owners seeking to make a “material change” in the property’s appearance, including construction of a new building, in the city’s historic district, according to a city ordinance.

The new building would feature a pizzeria, Peyton’s Pie Company, which has a location off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Suwanee. Also, a craft beer business, Growlers on Main, plans to move there from its current city-owned spot at 5509 Main St.

Also, the building could house some office space, Ching has said.

She has been developing the project since last year, tearing down a 121-year-old home that stood on the property.

In a January interview, Ching said she hoped to get a building permit 30 days after getting the historic board’s OK.

Another issue has been parking, which has been erased from Ching’s plans.

But that should be remedied somewhat, as the city is planning to add 31 parallel parking spots on Mitchell from Main Street to the new roundabout at the Lights Ferry Connector.