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Proposal for Hwy. 54/Grady Ave. includes retail, office and residential

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

A rezoning proposal for two retail buildings totaling 27,000 sq. ft.,Êone of which would have residential space on the second floor,Êand two 6,000 sq. ft office buildings has been submitted to Fayetteville planning officials.

The Shops at Highway 54 West would be located on Ga. Highway 54 at its intersection with Grady Avenue. But to make it work, the applicant is seeking a Planned Community District zoning. Currently, the property is zoned R-30 for single family residential use.

The city’s future land use map shows the parcel as having an office use.

But that hasn’t stopped the city’s staff from recommending against approval of the rezoning application. In a memo to the city’s planning and zoning commission, Eldridge Gunn notes that the request does not meet all the requirements for a Planned Community District Zoning and that it “is not designed with pedestrians in mind.”

PCD parcels are required to have 20 percent of the area dedicated to open space.

That zoning district, however, would allow the commission to have greater control over the project.

The property is located within the city’s Main Street District, which requires parking to be located in the rear of the property.

The application likely will be considered by the commission at its next meeting on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

Another possible item on that agenda could be development plans to expand the Rising Star Montessori School located at 440 East Lanier Ave.

The proposed 16,000 sq. ft. addition to the existing school would be used for classroom space. It also includes an enclosed porch and corridor.

The architecture for the proposed building, which will match the existing building, has been approved by the city’s art and architecture advisory committee.