But developers says traffic ordinance does apply in this case

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

In the end, it might be the projected traffic increase that keeps a Wal-Mart from coming to Peachtree City — for now, at least.

The conceptual site plan for Wal-Mart — which would be located off Ga. Highway 54 near the entrance for the Planterra Ridge subdivision — will be considered by the planning commission at its meeting Monday night.

But city staff will recommend that the plan from RAM Development Group be turned down since the store may not meet the guidelines of the traffic ordinance, said city planner David Rast.

Doug McMurrain of RAM said the Wal-Mart project is not subject to the traffic ordinance since the development application was filed before the City Council approved the traffic ordinance.

“Technically and legally, we do not fall under the traffic ordinance,” McMurrain said. “We have worked diligently with the city to come up with traffic improvements in the 54 corridor. We think the improvements will ease the traffic problems that are already existing there and help the traffic for our project.”

The traffic ordinance was designed to address traffic problems on a stretch of Ga. Highway 54 between Ga. Highway 74 and the Coweta County line. That section of highway is scheduled to be widened to four lanes by the Georgia Department of Transportation, but the project is on hold.

If a traffic study shows a development in that area will worsen traffic beyond its current levels, the developer is required to do one of two things:

Fund traffic improvements in the area so the development will meet the minimum traffic requirements; or

Wait for the state or another entity to make the traffic improvements before developing their project.

RAM has requested that the city's attorney consult with their attorney about whether the project is subject to the city's traffic ordinance or not, McMurrain said.

RAM is proposing to build the Wal-Mart behind a Home Depot it wants to construct on Highway 54 near the entrance to the Planterra Ridge subdivision.

“The improvements we'll make will also make that 54 corridor look more like Peachtree City,” McMurrain said, referring to the site's landscape buffer plan. “Right now, that area doesn't look like it's a part of Peachtree City, except for the entrance to the Planterra Ridge subdivision, which I think is beautiful.”

Not only is that area close to the problematic 74/54 intersection, it also is near a two-lane railroad bridge on Hwy. 54 that also snarls traffic at certain times of the day.

Last week, city representatives and traffic consultants met with RAM representatives and its traffic consulting firm. The numbers presented by city consultants from Dames and Moore varied substantially from those presented by RAM's traffic consultants, Rast said.

“Our position is that based on the recommendation from our traffic consultants, the mitigation for Wal-Mart would not conform to the traffic ordinance,” Rast said.