PTC Planning Commission unhappy with tree cutting at future doctors' office

By KAY S. PEDROTTI
Staff Writer

A medical office development in Peachtree City can proceed to occupancy, but not without a cash bond assuring that replacement landscaping will be done according to the cityÕs wishes.

The Peachtree City Planning Commission decided Monday night that the Perlman Medical Building at Prime Point and Petrol Point can be finished according to the present schedule, without further Òstop workÓ orders from the city. Such an order had been issued several months ago when city planning staff discovered that building contractors had destroyed a Òtree saveÓ area in the grading process.

At that time, the city asked for a new landscape plan providing for replacement of the lost trees. Initially such a plan was submitted to the commission but removed from consideration at the request of the developer.

A revised plan on the commission's agenda Aug. 24 was not as extensive as the original. City Planner David Rast said that the revised plan was done because the owner, Dr. Milton Perlman, and the contractor, Group VI, decided that the city had "no legal basis" under which to require that the trees be replaced.

Rast said the city had required a "tree survey" on the property and knew how many and what kinds of trees had been lost from the tree-save area. The area, he added, was part of an original "conceptual site plan" approved by the planning commission, but actual work on the site did not conform to that plan. He commented that he thought the property owners and contractors regarded a replacement plan as a "penalty" removal of the trees.

Amos, representing Group VI, said the company had "no intent to cause damage to the site ... Group VI is a good citizen here in Peachtree City." He said the project would be completed in a manner acceptable to the city, but urged that no further delays be imposed on Dr. Perlman, who is trying to relocate by mid-September. He added that the doctor himself has expressed a wish to add a "personal touch" to the landscaping, in addition to present designs.

The decision to allow Perlman to proceed was a compromise among planning commission members, some of whom favored not issuing a "certificate of occupancy" for the building until a landscape plan for tree replacement is actively under way.

Chairman Bill Foley said he hesitated to impose more hardship on someone trying to relocate, but the tree replacement plan would clearly have to be done. The commission approved the revised landscape plan as "phase one," with the proviso that the more extensive plan become the "master plan" and be done by December 1999. Meanwhile, a cash bond in "an amount sufficient to assure total compliance with the master plan" will have to be paid to the city. Amos estimated that the bond would be around $5,000.

As part of the discussion on the Perlman property, questions were raised about whether the commission or the city might have ordinances "with no teeth," as Willis Granger said., Jim Williams, city director of development services, said the staff "needs to know how to respond" when a developer or contractor does not abide by provisions of an approved site plan. The commission's consensus was that stop-work orders should be enforced and the issues brought to the commission immediately.

The commission approved a site plan for a new Leach Fire Station at Paschall Road and Clover Reach and another for Commerce Place on Commerce Drive. A site plan for Hanco Systems Inc. at Ga. Highway 74 and Dividend Drive was tabled because the city and property owners could not agree on setback and right-of-way requirements. The city had asked that the property owners deed to the city a portion of their land for right-of-way for the widening of Hwy. 74, but the owners said they couldn't comply.

Williams explained that the state Dept. of Transportation is willing to share some of the costs of relocation of utilities where cities can help supply rights-of-way land. Otherwise, the cities bear all utility relocation costs, he added.