Arthur Stinchcomb's 55 acres on the west side of Ellison Road near Tyrone is surrounded by large estate homes and farms and shouldn't be developed in one-acre lots, the Fayette County Planning Commission suggests.

County commissioners will decide Feb. 25 whether to grant Stinchcomb's request to change the zoning for the property from A-R, a residential category requiring at least five acres per lot, to R-45, which allows one-acre lots. Builder/developer Jeff Betsill wants to build 46 homes on the land.

Betsill said he is switching hats from builder to developer because small builders like him are getting squeezed out as large companies from Atlanta's north side discover Fayette and buy up all the building lots. "It's getting ever more difficult for a small builder such as myself," he said.

After hearing neighbors' concerns about drainage, traffic and the general character of the neighborhood, the Planning Commission last week voted 3-1 to recommend denial of the request. Commission member Al Gilbert abstained, and chairman Bob Harbison voted against the motion to deny, saying he would prefer to recommend R-72 zoning, which would require two-acre lots and houses of at least 2,100 square feet.

All the property on three sides of the proposed subdivision is zoned A-R. Land across Ellison Road to the east is zoned R-70, which allows two-acre lots and homes a minimum of 1,500 square feet.

Sheila Doyal said the property in question is on a hill that drains down onto her property, with a creek in between. "That creek's going to get flooded, and who is going to pay for it," Doyal wanted to know.

Randy Boyd, an engineer working with Betsill, pointed out that county law governing drainage would prevent such problems, but commission members were had other concerns. "It would set a precedent for that side of Ellison Road," said commission member Jim Graw. Properties on the other side are zoned for higher density, he said, "and Ellison Road is looked at as a dividing line."

"I see this as being way out of kilter with the rest of the property in that neighborhood," agreed commission member Fred Bowen.

County commissioners will consider the rezoning request Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. at the County Administrative Complex, 140 Stonewall Ave.

Other zoning items on the agenda include:

Dennis Roberts' request to rezone 17.26 acres on New Hope Road from A-R to R-45 to develop 14 homes. Speaking for Roberts, lawyer Charles Ballard said the owner has tried to sell the land for a year under its current zoning. "He has found virtually no market for five-acre tracts in his area," said Ballard.

Carolyn McCullough, who lives on four acres next door, said when she built her house in 1985 she was only allowed three bedrooms because of a lack of suitable soils for a larger septic system. "To put this many houses in that configuration with the problems of runoff, in my opinion, is ill advised," she said.

But commissioners voted to recommend approval of the request, saying the property is surrounded by similar zoning to that requested by Roberts, and the request is in keeping with the county land use plan.

Frank Love's request to revise the final plat of Jeff Davis Plantation subdivision, adding a 21-acre, 17-home fourth phase to the subdivision. The Planning Commission is recommending approval. (See related story)