ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A new housing development was approved for the Crabapple area April 28 at the Alpharetta City Council meeting.

The council heard of a proposal to add six new condominiums to Arklow Drive and Marstow Drive, on the south side of the Crabapple crossroads. This property, behind the Alpharetta Municipal Complex, is in Alpharetta but largely surrounded by Milton, which added some complexity to the project. It was delayed once in Alpharetta in order for the developer to meet with Milton officials.

“Within Crabapple crossroads, there are stringent requirements in architecture,” said Alpharetta Deputy Community Development Director Kathi Cook. “The [developer's] architect met with city of Milton staff to meet their requirements. The height of the building meets the Crabapple crossroads plan but not Alpharetta’s requirements.”

The developer asked Alpharetta for a variance to its height rules, in order to meet the height of the Crabapple community. This request was granted. At the front of the building, it will look like it is only two stories tall.

“The idea is to provide a one-level living option here,” said Wills Stolz, the developer, with Alpharetta-based SF Capital. “We feel the product is aimed at empty nesters, somebody who wants to stay in the area but doesn’t want their 6,000- or 5,000-square-foot house.”

The condos would be accessible via elevator and each will be only one floor.

“It has a lot of advantages. It should be very efficient to operate,” Stolz said. “For most people, downsizing to a townhome is their only alternative in this area.”

The condos will be 2,200 square feet and likely sell in the $400s on the 0.7-acre tract of land, Stolz said.

In 2005, the property was zoned for retail and commercial, however nothing was ever built on it, causing the zoning to revert to its original zoning of office-professional.

“We love the location because it is walkable,” Stolz said. “A lot of stuff going on in Alpharetta is perfect for this concept. We have done four realtor focus groups on this, and they have been very bullish on the depth of demand on this.

“There is nothing like this in this area,” he said.

Stolz has developed similar projects in Midtown, however these were projects with 60 or more units. The Milton project only has six.

“We have not done anything this small,” he said.

The new development would be required to take part in a study determining levels of silt in the pond nearby, and they would also have to help pay for the upkeep along with neighboring homeowners’ associations.

The condos were approved by unanimous agreement.

Article written by Jonathan Copsey with the Milton Herald.