And that's where the developer's problems may surface, area brokers familiar with the north Fulton County residential submarket tell GlobeSt.com. The Georgia Mountains Regional Development Center and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, which are reviewing the project, are concerned the undertaking may affect the water quality in the area, according to brokers who check regularly with the agencies.

The planned project is also near an Indian historic site at Old Federal Road and GA 369, according to the agencies. A prison facility is also nearby. Etowah Bend is classified as a development of regional impact because of its size. In metro areas, office projects over 400,000 sf, commercial projects over 300,000 sf and subdivisions of 400-plus lots face agency reviews before they can obtain a local development order.

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs plans to clarify several rules on DRIs in the first quarter--rules that may expedite a developer's application for a development order, area brokers tell GlobeSt.com.