LILBURN, Ga. — Residents of a smaller Gwinnett County city, concerned about overdevelopment, are applauding action by the city council to put the kibosh on immediate construction.
The Lilburn City Council instituted a 90-day moratorium on new developments in the city. The vote was unanimous.
Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson was in Lilburn to speak to residents to get their take on the pause.
He learned the moratorium comes after the approval of hundreds of new apartments for new construction that passed in 2023.
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Some of the city’s buildings are more than 100 years old, and some residents have lived in the area for decades.
The speed of new development in the community is happening fast, and the moratorium is a response to concerns over it happening too fast, according to residents.
Nikki Scott works at Old Town Flowers in downtown Lilburn. Her home is just a few minutes away. She told Channel 2 Action News that a lot of development has been happening in recent years, and she’s not sure it’s for the best.
“I like the small-town feel,” Scott said. “I just think they’re trying to fit too much in this small little area.”
Some of those buildings are new townhouses and a recently passed plan for hundreds of new apartments. Those developments are giving some longtime residents of Lilburn pause.
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That’s part of why the city announced a 90-day pause on residential projects in the historic Old Town part of Lilburn.
“Less high volume development and more incentives and opportunities for new businesses,” Nicky Nocera said.
She owns Salon Nine Seven on Main Street, and was grateful that the city leaders are listening to what people have been saying for months.
“It has such a great sense of community. I think pausing and assessing what needs to be focused, yeah, I think it’s a good move,” Nocera said.
Last year, the city council approved the building of 300 apartments, along with retail and recreation improvements on Railroad Avenue. Now, city leaders say they want to make sure future projects “embrace the old with the new.”
For Scott, she said she doesn’t want Lilburn to lose the charm she’s enjoyed for the past 20 years.
“I just feel like they should slow down,” Scott said.
For the next 90 days, the city of Lilburn will not be accepting applications for new buildings and developments.
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