By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

The 88-acre office park planned for the Ga. Highway 74 corridor in Tyrone may sit closer to the road than the town ordinance dictates, but the project's architects and developers must take another look at reducing the amount of impervious surface, based on Tyrone's Planning Commission's decisions Thursday night.

Developer Richard Bowers requested and was granted a variance allowing a 120-foot setback from the road instead of the required 200 to 250 feet. The commission voted three to one in favor of the variance after viewing sketches of the project which depict one- and two-story- brick and glass buildings situated along a winding parkway within the office park.

Architect Roy Ashley called it a "pedestrian oriented campus" and pointed out the narrow section of the tract which made the setback alteration necessary. The total amount of land affected is about 4.5 acres.

Town Planner Bill Johnston said the narrow end of the property "meets the test of extraordinary conditions" and Town Manager Barry Amos told the commission that redesigning the project could ultimately detract from the development by decreasing greenspace. He recommended the developers increase the amount of landscaping as a trade for the variance.

Commissioner Paul Letourneau motioned to grant the variance, noting the office park was a better project than what could have been built on the tract. The property was originally zoned for light industrial, which would have allowed warehouses. Commissioners Lyn Redwood, Letourneau and Chairman Tom Williams voted in favor of the variance. Commissioner Mary Ann Letourneau voted against it, citing the need to maintain the small town quality and pastoral views associated with Tyrone. "This is what we are charged with; not just abiding by the ordinance."

The second variance request was unanimously denied. Under current law, no more than half the lot can be covered by buildings or paved areas. The Bowers project is more in the 60 percent impervious surface versus 40 percent greenspace range.

"I think they could achieve the 50 percent impervious surface with a little fine tuning," Amos said. Williams suggested a decrease in the number of buildings or more two-story structures.

A variance request of another type was tabled after a lively exchange between the commission and Salim Ali, owner of the town's only convenience store and Texaco station. He is seeking exemption from the town's ordinance which prohibits internally lit signs. While the lights have been in place, the Texaco Food Mart sign cannot be installed under the current ordinance.

Ali threatened to turn on the lights without the cover sign if the commission turned down his request. "I'm going to light it up anyway," Ali said. "I'd rather see the sign than the lights," Letourneau told his fellow commissioners.

Amos and Johnston flipped frantically through the town's ordinances searching for a clause prohibiting exposed lightbulbs but came up empty-handed. "There might be something in the building ordinances," Amos remarked.

About a half-dozen Ali supporters urged the commission to allow the sign and complimented Ali on the store's continued improvements. The need for legal counsel came up when the Redwood said a text amendment rather than a variance might be needed to solve their dilemma. However, the town currently has no attorney, an issue which continues to simmer in controversy at the council level. The commission chose to table their decision until the next meeting which will be Aug. 27.

The issue of whether or not the planning commission should have an attorney present came up again as an added agenda item. Letourneau requested that the commission have an attorney at the next meeting to advise them on the Ali sign issue as well as some text amendments to the zoning ordinance. "This would expedite the decision making process," he said. "I would encourage the mayor and council to engage an attorney," Koerber said.

The town has not retained an attorney since July 1 when the contract for John Mrosek, then town attorney, expired. It is up to Mayor Richard Santiago to make a recommendation to council for an attorney. Several candidates have not been accepted by council or have turned down offers. It is expected that another candidate will be proposed at council's meeting tomorrow night.