ATLANTA-Gwinnett County has passed new regulations requiring developers of so-called conservation subdivisions to obtain special-use permits before breaking ground on high-density projects that pack a large number of homes on small tracts.

To receive the permits, developers will now have to convince elected officials at public hearings their projects will not affect the value or quality of life of nearby neighborhoods.

Previously, developers could start construction of conservation subdivisions without initial county approval so long as the land was properly zoned and they promised to conserve a reasonable amount of land for open space, residential brokers and marketers who attend the council hearings regularly tell GlobeSt.com.

For residents, the new regulations mean they can formally protest any project in advance of its construction. They previously didn't have that option, area shelter consultants and activist group representatives tell GlobeSt.com.

The Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and the Council for Quality Growth see the regulations as a deterrent to developers in preserving greater amounts of open space, representatives for the two groups tell GlobeSt.com. They also anticipate developers may have to charge higher home prices on some projects to make the ventures profitable if they aren't allowed to build a certain number of units on their land.

The new rules also ban the installation of vinyl siding on new homes in conservation subdivisions, a measure that doesn't endear it to the siding industry, area marketers and home design representatives tell GlobeSt.com.