Members of the Dawsonville Planning Commission on Monday said they will recommend approval of a zoning map amendment that would allow a local farm to have chickens and pigs on the property.

Currently zoned restricted single family residential, property owner Jack Forester requested the farm be rezoned to restricted agriculture, which allows swine and fowl.

The board also voted to recommend approval of a special-use permit filed by property owner Jack Forester, who said he also wanted to have a roadside vegetable stand at the Hwy. 9 North farm.

The Dawsonville City Council will hear the requests April 26. A second hearing to be held May 7 is required before the council could vote on the measure.

Forester, who has faced a number of setbacks since purchasing the 30-acre farm late last year, said he was pleased with the planning board's decision.

"We've kind of missed the spring season to get animals, but we do have our garden growing," he said. "We do want to do things in phases anyway, so we don't bite off more than we can chew. This gives us a little more time... ."

The Foresters began inquiring about rezoning last October.

Earlier this year, he filed to deannex the property but withdrew the petition after meeting with city officials.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 26 at the Dawsonville Municipal Complex.