By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

Fayetteville's population has almost doubled since 1990, rising from 5,868 to 9,679 in 1998, according to the city's chief planner, Jahnee Prince.

The city's maximum population, assuming no annexations and no rezonings, will be about 16,000, she said, adding it would be wrong to assume no annexations or rezonings.

Prince and a team of staff and elected officials are meeting regularly in an attempt to reshape Fayetteville's future by reviewing and revising its land use plan. Once finished, they hope to have two informal public hearings to gather comment before turning the plan over to the Planning Commission.

The commission will have two formal public hearings, then pass the document on to the City Council with its recommendation. Before adopting the plan, the council also will have two public hearings.

Meanwhile, the city has placed a moratorium on new rezoning requests through October to ensure that future zoning decisions conform to the revised plan.

When it is adopted, the plan, which anticipates future use of property so that the city can plan services and infrastructure, will focus not only on the current city limits, but also on areas the city might logically be expected to annex in the future.

During a recent meeting of the land use plan committee, Prince said she is working to get figures on future capacity of the city's sewer system, because that will determine how much land might eventually move into the city to take advantage of that system.

"And it's not just sewer capacity we have to determine what mix we are going to use to determine the end game... residential, industrial and commercial," said Mayor Mike Wheat, who serves on the committee along with Councilman Kenneth Steele, Planning Commission member Alan Feldman, Prince and city engineer Don Easterbrook.

The group is discussing the possibility of setting aside some sewer capacity for industry recruitment. "High technology industries all want to locate close to colleges, and with Clayton State, Gordon and Griffin Tech nearby, we might have something to offer," said Wheat.

Committee members said if the city annexes properties on its borders, even with sewer service available, the land use plan should call for low-density residential projects, with lots of two to three acres.

"We have to have the political will to say no," said Councilman Steele. "But your land use plan has to match what your political will is," said Wheat.

Wheat suggested the plan also should include flexibility to allow smaller lots for large developments with extra parks and green space, but Steele warned, "Developers spell flexibility d-e-n-s-i-t-y."

Consensus of the planners is to encourage "pedestrian-oriented" mixed commercial and high-density residential uses near the city's core, and planned commercial centers along Ga. Highway 85 north.

"We don't want individual tenants with curb cuts," said Prince.

Professional offices and other light commercial uses are ideal for Jeff Davis Drive, suggested Planning Commission member Feldman.

"All in all, it's a good balance," said Wheat.

Fayetteville residents are invited to workshop meetings on the city land use plan Aug. 18 and 26.

Those who attend will be treated to computerized presentations on proposed future land use and growth projections for the city, and will be asked for comment.

The Aug. 18 meeting will be at 4 p.m., the Aug. 26 meeting at 7 p.m. Both will be at City Hall.

Public comment also will be taken when the plan is presented to the Planning Commission Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m. City Council will then take up the matter at a workshop Sept. 30 and meeting Oct. 5, both at 7:30 p.m.