By DAVE HAMRICK
dhamrick@thecitizenews.com

After more than a year of planning and discussion, Fayetteville leaders may act on a proposed 110-acre mixed-use development in the heart of the city next week.

The Village, which includes 203 homes plus a hotel, offices, a neighborhood shopping square and several parks, is hailed by some leaders as a defining development that will ensure future quality of life for the city center. But the city Planning Commission has unanimously recommended that City Council deny a rezoning application from developers Argonne Properties, saying Ga. Highway 85 can't handle the traffic.

City Council will discuss the plan during its work session tonight and could vote yea or nay during its business meeting Monday.

Public comment will be invited at both meetings.

Using a plan drawn last spring by a city-paid consultant, Argonne proposes to build 203 homes, plus 117,900 square feet of offices, a neighborhood shopping area, a hotel and several parks. The retail portion would include a 150-child day care facility, 25,100 square feet of restaurants, 135,400 square feet of neighborhood shopping and a 5,400-sq. ft. bank. The property, at Tiger Trail and Ga. Highway 54 next to Fayette County High School, was purchased recently from the McElwaney family, which had owned it for more than 100 years.

Developers are asking that its zoning be changed from R-22 (which would allow a subdivision of about 150-200 homes but nothing else) to PCD (which would allow the proposed mixed uses).

PCD (planned community development) zoning doesn't exist, but council is expected to approve an ordinance creating the new category Monday as well. The category is designed specifically for large-acreage, master-planned projects like The Village.

According to planning director Maurice Ungaro, PCD will give the city an additional tool to encourage well-planned, creative developments as opposed to “cookie-cutter” subdivisions.

“It allows for a master-planned community,” Ungaro told council in an earlier work session. Developers are required to submit a complete plan showing street layouts, amenities, lot lines and all other details, he said, adding that without an umbrella zoning category, “We cannot hold someone's feet to the fire. There's no guarantee they'll be constructed like that.”

Under PCD, he said, “Anything submitted with the application runs with the land,” so even if the property is sold, the new owner will be bound by the master plan.

Planning commissioners recommended approval of the new category, and had high praise for Argonne Properties' plan for The Village, but commissioners said they couldn't support building The Village so near Hwy. 85. Commissioner Segis “Al” Lipscomb added that traffic on the road already is at levels predicted for 2010.

“Great project, wrong place,” said commission member Allan Feldman.

City Council members haven't discussed the project yet, but council voted last May to approve the plan “in principle” before developers began the expensive process of drawing more detailed plans.

Tonight's and Monday's council meetings are at 7 p.m.