Wednesday, November 27, 2002
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Wednesday, November 27, 2002 |
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Industrial park not for homes, PTC says By JOHN MUNFORD
A rezoning proposal for a 124-home subdivision on the southern edge of Peachtree City on Ga. Highway 74 was denied unanimously by the City Council Thursday night. Several council members said the 125-acre site should remain zoned for general industrial, particularly because members of the city and county development authorities were worried about losing that property from the industrial park. The potential impact the subdivision might have on adding more children to the school system was also a factor since schools serving that area already house students in trailers. "I'm very concerned about overcrowding schools," said councilman Dan Tennant. "The people I know don't like to have their kids in trailers," said councilman Steve Rapson. Developer Marvin Isenberg said the school board plans to build new schools in the area that would more than accommodate the students generated by the subdivision. He added that the school board has not protested the rezoning. While the plan also included two commercial outparcels off the highway totalling over six acres, the developer also committed to realign Rockaway Road so it would intersect with Hwy. 74 at the current traffic light for Holly Grove Road. The Planning Commission had recommended approving the rezoning, and city staff supported it also. City Planner David Rast said while the last land use plan update didn't have any recommendations for the property, it was previously planned for a single-family medium-density project. But Rapson said the commercial outparcels were "in stark contrast to the land use plan recommendations." "Part of the reason Peachtree City is still a wonderful place to live is because of following the land use plan," Rapson said. Rapson pointed to the Wilshire Pavilion retail center across the highway and noted it has not been fully developed yet, with three outparcels not developed. The commercial parcels for the proposed subdivision would cause a lot of traffic to cross the highway, he added. Tennant said he didn't support the rezoning because it allowed a higher density than Wilshire Estates, the subdivision directly across the highway from the proposed subdivision. City Planner David Rast said the subdivision would have lot sizes similar to those in Wilshire Estates and he didn't feel the density was that much higher. But Rapson pointed out that homes could only be built on 31 acres of the 125-acre tract because of the floodplain. Rast said the developer planned to donate approximately 80 acres of the floodplain land and open space to the city. He also said the way that area is growing,, a neighborhood retail center would soon be needed and that justified allowing the commercial parcels. "If this were located any other place in the city it would be extremely attractive," said councilwoman Annie McMenamin. "But I think when Highway 74 is widened, it will be an attractive piece of (industrial) property." The subdivision lies in the flight approach pattern for Falcon Field Airport, and McMenamin added that airport traffic will continue to grow. Thomas Stephens, who owns the property with his mother, said the land has been in his family for 130 years. But because of the tax assessments on the property, it has become "prohibitive" for the family to continue to own the parcel, Stephens added. "This is what we have been holding out for," Stephens said.
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