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Valentine present: Walgreens rezoning?

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

There might be some fireworks at City Hall for Valentine’s Day this year.

That’s when the next regular meeting of the Peachtree City Planning Commission is scheduled: Monday, Feb. 14.

And that’s when the commission will consider recommending approval or denial of a commercial rezoning that would pave the way for a Walgreens drug store on property now occupied by Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church at the intersection of Ga. Highway 54 and Peachtree Parkway.

The church is seeking a limited use commercial rezoning which typically puts more restrictions on development than a regular general commercial rezoning. In addition to a 14,820-square-foot Walgreens, the 2.98 acre site will also contain another building but it has been unclear what size the building will be nor what the tenant would be.

The rezoning has been opposed by some residents who say the current zoning for the property, office institutional, is more appropriate.

Christ Our Shepherd has brokered a deed restriction with Walgreens to forbid certain types of uses for the property for 20 years, including: automotive uses such as a gas station, car wash or maintenance facility, alcohol sales, a dance club, a bar or adult entertainment and also a convenience store or restaurant.

Commercial Net Lease Realty wants to build a 10 foot-high berm with trees on top along the edge of the property bordering the golf cart path, to protect the views of residents in the nearby Highlands subdivision.

The store will be owned by Walgreens, developers have said.

The property was zoned for commercial use when it was originally bought by the church, and the church now wants to move because it has run out of room to expand, officials said.

The planning commission will only vote whether to recommend or deny the rezoning. The City Council will have the final say on whether or not the property is rezoned and what conditions will be placed on the site if the rezoning is approved.