On Monday, the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors approved The Hamlett at Metts Meadows Planned Unit Development.

The 299-acre development, located off County Road 101, was presented by Joel Hollowell, director of Developmental Services, who outlined the project’s plans to the Board.

The approval comes after the Planning Commission recommended the project, emphasizing the need for increased housing options to combat rising prices in the Oxford market.

The development aims to provide “more-affordable housing,” with homes priced toward workforce-level buyers.

Originally, the developers proposed 429 homes, but with the approval of the PUD, that number will now increase to 731 units. The density adjustment was made possible through the PUD, which allows for reduced lot sizes and setback requirements, enabling higher clustering of homes.

Joey Moore, with JM Engineering, explained that flexibility in density would allow the project to adapt to market conditions over its anticipated seven-to-10-year buildout.

The homes are expected to range from 1,000 to 2,000 square feet, targeting buyers in the lower 10-15% of the market’s price range at the time of construction phases.

In addition to residential units, the development includes plans for commercial spaces and a variety of amenities that include open spaces with lakes, walking trails, swimming pools, and pickleball courts.

Hollowell told the Board that increasing the housing supply is critical to addressing affordability concerns in a market that has struggled to meet demand.

The developer will have to return before the Planning Commission for approval for site plan for each phase and new commercial buildings, et cetera.