BALDWIN, Ga. — Documents obtained by Now Habersham through an open records request show that an annexation request submitted to the City of Baldwin by Cook Construction involves a large-scale commercial development planned along Georgia Highway 365 and Duncan Bridge Road.
The records, released by the city in response to the request, show the application was submitted at 3:15 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2. The request seeks to annex approximately 88.4 acres into Baldwin, with an additional about 20.9 acres already inside city limits, for a total project area of 109.38 acres.
Red Apple Crossroads
The proposal is identified in the application materials as Red Apple Crossroads, part of a broader Red Apple Innovation Corridor concept aimed at capturing retail spending currently leaving the area and expanding Baldwin’s commercial tax base.
According to documents included with the application, the proposed development could include a grocery store, multiple retail buildings, restaurants, a gas station, medical offices and senior assisted living facilities. The developer is seeking to rezone the property primarily to Highway Business (HB).
Documents submitted with the application describe the project as a significant economic opportunity, projecting approximately $100 million in private investment, 1,030 to 1,740 permanent jobs, and roughly $2.12 million in annual recurring revenue for the city through property taxes, sales taxes, business licenses and utilities. The materials state that commercial development could strengthen city services without raising residential tax rates.
During Tuesday night’s Baldwin City Council work session, Mayor Doug Faust cautioned that the application had just been received and had not yet been reviewed in detail. He said the request represents both opportunity and change for the city.
“This is something that represents a substantial opportunity for the city to gain revenue through new businesses and new employment opportunities,” Faust said. “It also is a substantial change to that particular area of the city. We’re going to need to know a lot more about it.”
Traffic Study
While the application includes conceptual site plans and narrative justification, it does not include a traffic impact study. The developer’s letter references preliminary discussions with the Georgia Department of Transportation and cites a 2009 GDOT study that suggested improvements at the Duncan Bridge Road and Ga. 365 intersection, but no updated traffic analysis was included in the materials released.
The records show the annexation request involves multiple property owners and parcels currently zoned agricultural or low-intensity use. One parcel included in the overall development concept already lies within Baldwin’s city limits, making the remaining property contiguous, a requirement under state annexation law.
Utility correspondence included in the records indicates Baldwin’s water and wastewater systems currently have available capacity, though no long-term infrastructure upgrades or cost-sharing agreements were detailed.
The Baldwin annexation request comes weeks after Cook Construction’s attempt to annex what appears to be the same property into Cornelia collapsed following a lengthy public hearing. Cornelia later enacted a 180-day pause on new annexation requests.
The Baldwin City Council emphasized Tuesday that the annexation request will be reviewed publicly and that residents will have opportunities to provide input before any decision is made.
