Senoia's first foray into zoning with quarter acre lots hit a roadblock Monday night.

The council was set to approve a new subdivision on Rockaway Road that features the new zoning category that allows smaller lots as long as 25 percent of the green space is preserved.

Instead, the council debated the issue for more than 30 minutes and finally postponed a final vote on the plat until May 15.

The biggest bone of contention was Councilman Robert Hannah's suggestion that the developers should provide a traffic island at the entrance.

“It's just better for beauty and safety concerns,” he said.

The subdivision features 55 homes on 26 acres, with six acres of the total reserved for green space.

After Hannah suggested the island proposal, Mayor Joan Trammell asked the council to look at the overall scope of the subdivision.

“We have to start thinking about our responsibility. This island is not going to make or break the subdivision,” she said.

Trammell also took exception to the idea being brought before the council, instead of discussing it earlier when all parties would have had more time to examine it.

Islands are not required in any of the city's subdivision regulations and city administrator Leonard Thompson said he would have a tough time telling the developer how big the island should be.

Still, Hannah hung tough and asked the developer to study the feasibility of placing an island in the subdivision.

A visibly frustrated Trammell asked the council to study the plat carefully before the next meeting and be prepared to vote on it.

Councilman Dianne Cleveland said she still had concerns about the high density in that part of town.

But Trammell reminded the council that they should not use their ideas about one-acre lots as a measurement for voting on this proposal.

Higher density housing and more green space was the source of a controversial vote at the end of March.

By a 3-2 vote, the council approved the first reading of an amendment to the city's zoning ordinances to provide for an open space zoning category.

Under the new category, developers will be able to build homes on lots as small as a quarter acre, if public sewer is available.

In return, developers agree to leave at least 25 percent of the total tract as open space that be used for such items as public trails and parks that can be used by all residents of the city.

The ordinance also reads that no more than 75 percent of the open space can be used for active recreation areas, such as golf courses.

Councilwoman Judy Belisle said she had a problem with increasing the density, but Mayor Trammell said the payoff is worth it.

“I want more green space and to keep more of our trees. Developers will only be getting 10 percent more houses under this proposal,” she said.

The open space zoning also requires developers to keep open space 50 feet around the perimeter of the development.

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