By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@thecitizennews.com

Unless the Tyrone Town Council overturns the town's Planning Commission, Tyrone shoppers will still have to drive to Peachtree City if they want to shop at Publix.

Last Thursday night, the Planning Commission voted against developer John Callaway's proposed shopping center at the intersection of Ga. Highway 74 and Tyrone Road.

The 118,000-sq. ft. center would have been anchored by a 51,000-sq. ft. Publix grocery store and possibly would have served as the new “town center” for the western Fayette town.

But the town's planners said the traffic the center would spawn and the feasibility of the center were justifiable concerns for turning down the center.

Callaway told the planners the shopping center would be the “jewel of the county” and would actually help control sprawl by providing a neighborhood shopping center that would keep Tyrone shoppers from traveling the roads to get their basic needs.

“It will encourage people to stop and spend their money in Tyrone,” he said.

Callaway added that center would attract quality businesses and the location was not near any residents, so it was a logical site.

If the development is approved, Callaway pledged to add a third lane to Tyrone Road to help ease the traffic flow and to place a signal at the four-way stop on Senoia Road.

While the Planning Commission generally had praise for the look of the development, members still could not get past the impact it would have on the city.

Town manager Barry Amos said the decision reached by the Planning Commission would set a precedent for development in that area.

“I don't know how much commercial Tyrone can handle,” he said.

Planning commissioner Lyn Redwood also was concerned with the out-parcels on the property, which Callaway envisioned as gas stations and fast food restaurants.

“That's my definition of sprawl,” she said.

Several of the commissioners also disagreed with Callaway's request for the large grocery store. The town's ordinances set the maximum size for a commercial building at 30,000 square feet.

“I just have a problem with someone coming in here and asking for four variances. They need to go with our ordinances,” said commissioner Mary Ann Koerber.

Commissioner Lee Wright was the only one who supported the project and said it was unrealistic for the town to assume the land would stay residential.

The “no” recommendation is now forwarded to the Tyrone Town Council for discussion later this month.