By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

A ordinance aimed at taming the outdoor display of merchandise for sale at retail stores in Peachtree City has been put on hold again.

The City Council has planned to discuss the regulations at Wednesday's council meeting, having postponed a vote on the matter to get more input from local merchants. But city staff wanted more time to contact local store owners and inform them of the proposed ordinance's potential effects.

At the previous council meeting, Jim Williams, the city's director of developmental services, told council that some merchants have given negative feedback to the city regarding the proposed new rules.

The ordinance would limit the amount of space a store can use outside to display wares for sale. It also would allow for "sidewalk sales" and other variances since each store could apply for a limited use permit that would allow up to a week's worth of outdoor sales beyond the restrictions of the ordinance.

However, those permits would be limited to four per year for each store.

The ordinance would also forbid items from being sold directly from trucks, such as pinestraw, a transaction that has routinely occurred in the city in the past.

At a previous council meeting, councilwoman Annie McMenamin argued that the outdoor display ordinance was needed to combat the marketing tactics of big box stores. Home Depot stores routinely display lawn mowers and other items on their front sidewalks, and Peachtree City is slated to get a Home Depot store in the near future.

Trucks and trailers would also be kept from parking for more than two hours after a delivery is made. And if a truck has advertising on the side, it should be parked so the advertising isn't legible from off-site, the proposed ordinance requires.

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